Krishnan Sreekumar
Newcastle United give up on their transfer hunt for Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard due to his wage demands
According to The Telegraph (Subscription Required), Newcastle United have ended their pursuit of Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard in the upcoming summer transfer window due to the player’s high wage demands.
The Englishman sees his current deal with the Red Devils expire at the end of the season, which will see him become a free agent in the summer. There has been no indication from either the club or the player about extending his stay, thus far.
Lingard rose through the ranks at the academy and established himself in the senior side under the tutelage of Louis van Gaal. He would go on to become a regular in the first team and also break into the England national side. Over the last few years, however, the midfielder has seen his stock plummet.
This season, he has been reduced to a part-time role and was about to seal a temporary exit in January to gain more minutes on the pitch. Newcastle made an attempt to sign Lingard on loan in the winter transfer window, but the move eventually broke down after they refused to pay his £16m loan fee.
Pricing himself out of a move
There were talks about coming back for the 29-year-old in the summer when he was available for free, but it now looks as though it may not happen. The England international’s wage demands have proven to be too much for the Magpies, with the player wanting a salary in excess of £150,000-a-week, plus a huge signing-on fee.
Although a transfer move to Tyneside looks unlikely, there is a chance that the Carrington graduate will head abroad as several Italian clubs have taken an interest in securing his services as a free agent. He could still stay in England, as West Ham United look to re-sign him after he spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan in east London.
After spending his entire life in Manchester and getting the opportunity to play for his boyhood club, this summer could mark the end of the road for Lingard. It is always tough to bid goodbye to an academy star, but perhaps it may be for the best.
The Englishman has barely gotten to feature for the Red Devils this term, yet he showed everyone what he is capable of when he was at West Ham on loan last year. The midfielder turned out to be one of their best performers that season, helping them secure Europa League qualification.
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Many expected him to get back into the United starting XI after his brilliant displays for the Hammers, but he once again found himself on the bench during the current campaign. That seems to have convinced him that his time in Manchester is up, with the player not committing to staying beyond the summer.
It remains to be seen where Lingard ends up ahead of the new season, with interest from West Ham and a few Italian clubs. He will leave the club after giving the supporters fond memories of his time at the club, with his winner in the 2015 FA Cup final standing out.
