The Jesse Lingard saga had gone on for far too long. The latest news that he has been fined for drink driving should surely meant West Ham had to ditch ditch all notion of hiring the player.
Ridiculously, this is Lingard’s second motoring offence this year. He was previously banned from driving after he failed to name the driver when his car was caught speeding. The midfielder’s Range Rover was flashed by a speed camera on the A56 in Trafford last year.
He pleaded guilty to failing to provide information about who was driving his vehicle and allegedly gave a false name.
The player is also rumoured to be traveling to Saudi Arabia for a months training, whilst he decides where to play his football. Fabrizio Romano last night tweeted that Al Ettifaq were interested in signing the player.
All of that aside . . . West Ham just don’t need Jesse Lingard. There was a time when Moyes team would have been crying out for creativity, but not now.
Lucas Paqueta is playing like one of Europe’s best players, Bowen is back in tip top form and Mo Kudus looks to have a lot of goals in him. Add in the assist machine that is James Ward Prowse, and there is little room for Lingard.
Pablo Fornals and Maxwel Cornet can’t be guaranteed to make the bench and we have the prodigiously talented George Earthy coming through.
Lingard may be training well, but he brings a lot of baggage with him and we just don’t need it.