Ralf Rangnick opens up on the issue surrounding Manchester United star Jesse Lingard
Ralf Rangnick has chipped in on the current status with Manchester United star Jesse Lingard following the recent issue between the pair. Both of them had a clash of words ahead of the FA Cup game against Middlesbrough regarding the attacking midfielder’s absence.
The 63-year-old manager told journalists that Lingard had asked for some time off to clear his mind following the failed move to Newcastle United in the January transfer window. However, the latter refuted those claims on social media while conveying that the club had advised him to take leave following the incident.
Speaking in the pre-match presser (h/t Manchester United official website), Rangnick was adamant that there is no rift between him and the Englishman ahead of the match against Burnley. He has added that the reason for the last-minute change in the stance has been conveyed to the player, and the problems have been sorted out.
“With regards to Jesse, I have a very good relationship with him. He knows that I would have been willing to let him go – at least until the issue with Mason came up – and all the other things, I think we have spoken about. He mentioned some personal issues but again we have to look forward now. There are no problems whatsoever between myself and Jesse and vice versa. I’m happy to have him in the squad and, as I said, he will be a member of the squad for tomorrow’s game.”
No more problems?
Things did turn ugly towards the end of the January transfer window as the 29-year-old could not finalise a move to St. James’ Park. The Red Devils had demanded a hefty £12million survival bonus from the Magpies to part with his services. It seems that the demands were made on purpose since the amount seemed unreasonable for someone who will become a free agent next summer. His brother also retaliated on social media regarding the club’s stance.
This latest update from the German coach would be a sigh of relief as we would not want any unrest within the squad. After all, the harmony within the team would have been hampered if there were differences in opinion moving forward. It remains to be seen if the Man United ace will have more prominence in the remainder of this season.
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The England international has already showcased his quality during his loan spell with West Ham United last season. He enabled them to qualify for the Europa League this season, indicating how good he can be when given opportunities. It was puzzling to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ignore him despite the midfielder impressing during pre-season and the early stages of this campaign.
Let’s hope that the Red Devils midfielder can get more minutes in the coming months, unlike what happened previously. That would be in the best interest of all the parties as he could help us qualify for the Champions League next season. That could also enable him to make his case with Gareth Southgate ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.