Jesse Lingard has been without a club since being released by Nottingham Forest at the end of last season, and it appears that the 31-year-old’s career at the elite level is going down the pan.
A six-week trial at West Ham didn’t yield a hoped-for contract for the player, and even a spell with Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq failed to see the former Man United ace back out on the football pitch again.
However, help may be at hand.
The Hammers current injury crisis has seen both Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen sidelined, and with Mo Kudus on AFCON duty, it leaves David Moyes woefully short of options.
Claret and Hugh ask the question as to whether Lingard could become a short-term option for Moyes, perhaps on a pay-as-you-play deal, alongside a picture of him training with Pablo Fornals in Dubai.
It’s an intriguing thought but one that isn’t likely to excite Hammers fans.
Lingard was excellent during his loan spell at the London Stadium but turned down the chance to move permanently when it was offered.
Those who pay their hard-earned each week would surely be questioning the wisdom of the club to go back in for a player that not only didn’t want to join them, but was also not considered good enough for them as recently as the beginning of this season.