Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United outcast Jesse Lingard eyed by AC Milan as a potential alternative for Serie A star
According to PianetaMilan, via Sempre Milan (h/t Manchester Evening News), Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard is being eyed by AC Milan as an alternative for Sassuolo star Domenico Berardi in the summer transfer window.
Lingard has been at Man United ever since he was a kid, coming through the ranks at Carrington and establishing himself in the first team in his later years, breaking into the senior side under then-manager Louis van Gaal.
Since then, however, the Englishman has enjoyed more time on the bench than on the field, with his form dipping in recent times and the midfielder dropping below the pecking order at the club due to the competition in the side.
An attacking midfielder by trade, the 29-year-old has fallen behind Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata in the side for a place in the playing XI. Mata has hardly made an appearance for the Red Devils in 2022, but recently against Atletico, with the team chasing a goal, the Spaniard was sent on instead of Lingard.
Serie A interest for Lingard
A move away from his boyhood club is looking increasingly likely, with Italian giants AC Milan said to be monitoring the England international. During the international break, the player was pictured alongside former Red Devils star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, leading to rumours that Milan are interested in the Carrington graduate.
However, he is not their main transfer target in the summer, as Lingard is only seen as an alternative option to Sassuolo’s Berardi. With the Italian turning 28 in 2022 and the star costing €35m, Milan are considering whether the price is worth it. In the event they go against buying him, Lingard is their preferred option.
The San Siro outfit are on a recent resurgence in Italy, with the side currently on top of the league table and on course to end their Scudetto drought. The Serie A giants last won the league in 2011, with the club majorly dropping off since then.
In many ways, Stefano Pioli’s side are similar to Man United in the fact that the Red Devils haven’t won the Premier League since 2013. However, unlike the Rossoneri, United are way off from winning the league, as they currently sit sixth in the league table.
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Lingard’s ability is still very much at large, proven by his incredible loan spell at West Ham United in the second half of the 2020/21 season when he went on a scoring spree and helped the Hammers to secure a Europa League spot.
The London club has since made it to the quarterfinals of the competition this term, and they have one man to thank. However, given recent rumours, Lingard’s time in Manchester could be coming to a close. If he does make a move away this summer to Italy, then we can hope that he follows in the footsteps of fellow Englishman Fikayo Tomori, who has been a revelation in Milan since his move from Chelsea.
