Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen has suggested that Jesse Lingard should leave Old Trafford in order to play more regularly.
The England international was a key player for the Red Devils a few years ago, but in recent times has totally lost form and is now out of favour in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.
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It seems unlikely Lingard will get back into the first XI any time soon, and Owen believes the player could do well to accept a step down a level in order to get regular playing time again.
“He’s got to a stage now where he’s a bit older and should be playing regularly in a team now at his age,” Owen told Stadium Astro.
“And he’s been at Manchester United that whole time so he knows what it feels like to be a Manchester United player, now it’s his life decision, his professional career decision: ‘Do I want to stay as a bit-part player at one of the biggest teams in the world, or do I want to drop down, play regularly but not have as much chance of winning anything?’ And that’s the balancing act.
“If it was me, and I’d had all that time at Manchester United, I’d probably go and try to play a bit more regularly.”
United fans may be slightly disappointed that things never worked out better for Lingard, who was initially a popular figure among supporters at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old rose up through United’s academy and looked an exciting prospect in his earlier years, but it seems clear now that he’s not quite cut out to play regular for such a big club.
Lingard remains a fine player on his day, however, so could surely offer something to a team lower down in the Premier League table.
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