Manchester United attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard has reportedly decided to leave the club, with contract talks breaking down.
The England international’s reps have supposedly even been in Spain recently to hold talks over a possible move away for their client, according to the Times.
Lingard’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and it now seems highly likely he’ll be leaving on a free transfer, while the Times add that the player might also ask to go out on loan for the final six months of his deal so he can get some playing time.
Many Man Utd fans will surely be frustrated by this situation, with Lingard looking in such terrific form when he went out on loan to West Ham in the second half of last season.
Lingard hasn’t really been given a fair chance since returning to Old Trafford, and it could be that the 28-year-old will now move on and strengthen another top side.
It makes sense that there seems to be a lot of interest in Lingard both here and abroad, with United looking like they’ve majorly overlooked a big talent.
Speaking to CaughtOffside earlier this week, former United midfielder Luke Chadwick expressed his regret that Lingard hadn’t been given more playing time, as he expects the player to go on and earn a big move.
“Is Lingard worth giving a run of games? He knows the club inside out and has done well for them in the past, he’s also done fantastically well for England. If he’s not going to get any game time between now and January I’m sure the club will try to cash in,” Chadwick told us.
“I think Lingard’s capable of playing for the upper reaches of European football. But West Ham also seems like a good move for him, he performed so well there in his loan spell. He knows the players and the surroundings, so it could work for him. But you also feel if he was given a run of games for United he could do a job too.”