Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has told The Transfer Tavern that Jesse Lingard now looks set to stay at Manchester United today, having claimed earlier today that a move to West Ham could still be on the cards.
Lingard’s Old Trafford future has been in serious doubt all summer, with the arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo only making his case to leave the club stronger.
He’s only played four minutes in United’s opening three Premier League matches, but Dan James started two of those, including at Wolves on Sunday, and has since left to finally get his move to Leeds, which could make a case for Lingard to stay.
Lingard’s brief outing at Southampton last Sunday was his first league appearance for United for 13 months, but he doesn’t appear likely to get many opportunities, especially with Edinson Cavani now fit, and Ronaldo in the frame.
West Ham have been Lingard’s likely destination all summer after his loan spell their last season, but the Hammers have now signed Nikola Vlasic, which makes a return to the London Stadium unlikely.
When asked how he sees the rest of deadline day panning out for Lingard, Bridge told The Transfer Tavern:
“I think Dan James moving means that Ole won’t be too desperate to get rid of Lingard. When the Champions League starts, you’re going to pick up injuries.
“If I was Ole, I would want Lingard around the squad. As it stands, more likely to stay than not. If he’s not playing in the next few months, it could be another January move, that would be my guess.”