Pranav Nair
Trevor Sinclair questions the ambition shown by Manchester United star Jesse Lingard
According to talkSport (h/t The Daily Mail), Trevor Sinclair has questioned the ambition shown by Jesse Lingard, who chose to stay on at Manchester United this summer.
The 28-year-old was a regular under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho but failed to make it under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. A loan switch to West Ham United last January proved to be a stellar success as Lingard showcased his abilities to the fullest.
The change in fortunes saw him get picked for Gareth Southgate’s extended 33-man England squad for the Euros. While he did eventually fall short of making the final cut, the fact that he was even considered showed the impact he had with the Hammers.
According to the report, West Ham were unable to land the player permanently, falling well short of United valuation. Lingard too did not appear to have much enthusiasm in joining the Irons on a permanent basis.
While one could applaud Lingard’s decision to stay on at United and fight for a place, it remains to be seen if it was the right call. The Red Devils added Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo to their frontline this summer and have considerable options up front and in midfield to choose from.
Lingard is far from assured gametime, prompting Sinclair to question why he did not move to West Ham and take up a more prominent role under David Moyes.
“I am confused, why he didn’t join West Ham permanently? He was loved there, he was the main man.”
Lingard has just a year to go on his current deal and has rejected a new offer from United. Sinclair believes penning fresh terms without guaranteed game time is emblematic of the player’s lack of ambition.
“If he doesn’t get given the assurances and signs the new deal, then he’s not as ambitious as I’d like him to be.”
Sinclair’s thoughts are echoed by Stuart Pearce who also deems the player too good to be wasted on the United bench. While Lingard brings much to the table as far as strength in depth is concerned, he is far from a regular starter at Old Trafford.
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Lingard has played just four minutes for United this season. He had an opportunity to move elsewhere and play regularly but chose not to do so. Whether it will end up costing him a spot in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup remains to be seen.
