Published: June 21, 2021 8:20 pm
Last Updated: June 21, 2021 9:30 pm
West Ham, and any other suitors for that matter, have today been handed a potential boost in the race for Jesse Lingard’s signature.
Irons stint
Attacking midfielder Lingard of course made the move to the London Stadium during the winter window.
On the back of a dismal opening half to the campaign, during which he failed to garner a single Premier League appearance for Manchester United, Lingard was granted a loan departure, to top-flight rivals West Ham.
And to say that the 28-year-old subsequently went on to impress would be something of an understatement.
Having been handed the freedom of West Ham’s midfield to operate, Lingard quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout performers over the 2nd half of the season.
All told, the English international racked up nine goals and four assists across 16 appearances in the colours of the Hammers.
In fact, so impressive did Lingard’s form prove, that, last month, he went on to secure a Premier League Player and Goal of the Month double for April:
Jesse Lingard’s wonderful solo goal v Wolves is the Premier League Goal of the Month for April 🏆pic.twitter.com/sWO8iCogt3
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 14, 2021
‘The most important thing’
In turn, it has come as little surprise to see speculation spread in the media that West Ham would be keen to make their loan star’s signing permanent over the weeks ahead, if handed the opportunity.
Manchester United, for their part, are thought to be open to Lingard’s sale, in a bid to raise funds for their own summer spending spree.
Reports in the English media, though, have pointed towards a £30 million price-tag being placed on the head of the midfielder, a fee which could prove problematic for those in a position of power at the London Stadium.
West Ham United’s English midfielder Jesse Lingard (3rd L) and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Portuguese midfielder Pedro Neto (C) clash after the final whistle in the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on April 5, 2021. (Photo by MICHAEL REGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
But, as outlined above, if the latest comments on the part of Lingard himself are anything to go by, then the Hammers’ hopes may not be dead in the water just yet.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports on Monday, the 28-year-old was drawn on his plans moving forward, ahead of an imminent return to Manchester.
And Lingard, significantly, went on to highlight his desire to secure playing time on a weekly basis, wherever he may end up:
‘Regular football is the most important thing for me.’
‘After going on loan and getting a good run in the team, you started to see the real me, with the goals and the assists.’
‘I’ve never doubted my ability, I’ve always believed in myself. I spoke to the manager (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer) in pre-season and said, ‘I need game time’. He said, ‘we can discuss it December time’, and we spoke again and he agreed to let me go on loan.’
‘I had various conversations with him during my time at West Ham. He was very supportive and it was a great loan for me.’
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This article was edited by
Josh Barker.
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Arsenal London | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Brentford London | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Burnley FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Chelsea London | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Crystal Palace | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Everton FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Leeds United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Leicester City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Liverpool FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Manchester City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Manchester United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Newcastle United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Norwich City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Southampton FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Watford FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | West Ham United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|