From all we are hearing David Moyes remains very keen indeed to bring Jesse Lingard back to the club.
It seems that I couldn’t have got it more wrong when I write yesterday that he’s not a player I’d want to see back at the London Stadium.
Mine was an emotional response to his apparent unreadiness to commit to the Hammers after he shot back to prominence with us during his loan spell last season.
With Nikola Vlasic looking better with each brief outing the argument was that the Croatian should get his chance when other positions needed more urgent recruitment attention perhaps.
Well, it seems that the manager disagrees with all of that with a key insider telling us that he remains very keen on the Manchester United attacking midfielder.
Whether he can persuade his father/agent that the London Stadium is his next destination remains to be seen but he is continuing to pursue the option apparently.
Our source simply said: “He loves Jesse and is working hard to get him back into the club.”.
If this is true, then Moyes would be better served giving the Board the names of a striker, centre back and left back. Just as Vlasic is starting to look the part this rumour re-surfaces. Lingard’s father/agent calls the shots and he has no affinity with West Ham. Anyway Lingard isn’t a necessity whereas cover in the other positions is vital. The club is paying for the mistakes made in the last window by lack of cover, so spend the money now. Contrary to what Moyes has said, good players are available and at a reasonable price. Have to admire what Everton did yesterday: they wanted a left back and bought one on the first day of the window.
My opinion was, and still is, that Lingard has shown no interest in joining us with commitment and still doesn’t. Clearly we are all behind DM and will support him, but we need a striker and c/b before Lingard and I don’t like him toying with us as his back up option
4th day of 31 in the window. Maybe WH are just sitting and watching as in summer when I don’t think there were any bids and he stayed where he is. We can’t compete with the Magpies in a bidding war. Maybe offer him a house in/around the capital.