Playing for one of European football’s most storied football clubs is surely a dream that most young children harbour, however, one of Manchester United’s first team stars has opened up on the difficulties he’s had to endure during his time at Old Trafford.
Speaking to the Official Man United Podcast, and cited by the Daily Star, Jesse Lingard spoke of “a lot of setbacks” that he’s had at the Red Devils so far.
“I always worked hard, I always stayed behind, always did the right thing,” he said. “I think it’s just working hard, and sticking to the plan but, sometimes you go off course.
“I went on loan, I had to battle there and fight for my place when I came back to United. I got injured on my debut so I was out for six months, so I have had a lot of setbacks but if you keep fighting, work hard and keep believing, your dreams will come true.
“It’s the biggest club in the world so it’s tough to start at the bottom and work your way up. There’s a lot of obstacles on the way, a lot of highs and lows, but when you finally get to the end you’re playing for the first team week in, week out, you cherish every moment that you’ve been through.”
When Lingard burst onto the scene, it seemed that the youngster could do no wrong. Part of a new generation of young talent that United are so brilliant at bringing through to their first team, the sky really was the limit for the player.
However, his form has since tailed off significantly, and no Premier League goals since netting against Cardiff on December 22, 2018, or any top-flight assists since a fixture against Burnley the following month, per Transfermarkt, tells its own story.
A regular start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now looks further away than ever, and though Lingard will continue to work hard, his future might lay elsewhere.