CANDH EXCLUSIVE
BY OUR NORTHERN MAN TERRY ROBBINS
Jesse Lingard ‘personally chose’ West Ham as his loan destination in January, sources at Manchester United have indicated.
Old Trafford chiefs are currently sweating on the England midfielder’s future, with the free-scoring 28-year-old entering the final 12 months of his deal in Manchester.
C&H continue to receive regular updates on the player, whose incredible Irons’ form is perhaps unsurprisingly, seeing Jesse now linked with every man and his dog – true or not!
However, in another positive report we can exclusively reveal today the leading role Lingard played in making sure he ended up at the London Stadium in January.
Manchester United insiders have stated the club received half a dozen attractive loan proposals, although the Red Devils gave short shrift to an enquiry from Arsenal – still considering them a realistic rival to their own top four aspirations back in December.
Lingard was told Newcastle, Brighton, Southampton and Burnley had all expressed a desire to take him on loan for the remainder of the season.
That quartet were also willing to match United’s strict financial terms, but Lingard expressed a “clear preference” to link up again with David Moyes, under whom he thrived as a player att United.
Our United insider said: “There were plenty of clubs interested in taking Jesse but he only wanted to join West Ham, he made that much clear to Ole.
It was agreed West Ham would be a great platform for him and it was ultimately left up to the player.
“Once Lingard got to speak with Moysie, all the other clubs were informed he was only going to West Ham and didn’t want to waste anyone else’s time.”
Lingard remains in the driving seat with regards his next move. There are increased noises coming out of the United camp they will struggle to convince him he won’t just remain a bit-part fixture at the Theatre of Dreams.
And Irons fans can perhaps now take further encouragement how determined Lingard was to drive through his initial move to E15.
Hugh, if you were a betting man, where would you say he is most likely to be next season?
I am a betting man PB but I don’t know the odds which count. However, I think the CL is a decent bet