Jesse Lingard looks set to see out his contract at Manchester United as the Red Devils refused to sanction a move to their Premier League rivals on deadline day.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein via Twitter, Manchester United star Jesse Lingard looks set to see out the season at Old Trafford rather than leave in the January transfer window.
The English international is a dynamic player who can perform a variety of roles in midfield and attack. Having proven himself last season on loan at West Ham United, it is fair to say that his return to the Theatre of Dreams has proven to be rather anti-climatic.
The 29-year-old has managed just 14 appearances this season across all competitions for the Red Devils. The numbers become more troubling when one notices that he has been on the pitch for only a total of 273 minutes. While Lingard is certainly no Marcus Rashford or Cristiano Ronaldo, he is admittedly deserving of better treatment.
Both West Ham and Newcastle United were keen on securing his services this month as they pushed for a top-four finish and an effort to stave off relegation, respectively. Lingard would have seen game-time easier to come by at either team, but Manchester United have doused any expectations of such a move materialising.
? Jesse Lingard has been told by Man Utd he will not be allowed to leave before transfer window shuts. Despite Newcastle & West Ham pushing for #DeadlineDay loan, 29yo will stay at #MUFC + go into the final 6 months of his deal @TheAthleticUK #NUFC #WHUFC https://t.co/KkpEZjuRWZ
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 31, 2022
Manchester United have already informed the 29-year-old that he will be staying put this month. It appears to be the case with mere hours to go before the winter transfer window closes. The Red Devils came to the decision even as both the Hammers and the Magpies returned with fresh approaches.
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick, for his part, was happy to sanction the player’s sale as he sought more game-time in the lead-up to this year’s World Cup. The fact that the interim manager felt the need to do so would suggest that the player does not feature heavily in his plans this season.
Manchester United’s decision is all the more baffling considering Lingard’s contract at the club is up in the summer. They now appear to have squandered a final opportunity to gain any financial benefit in the player’s last months at the club. Now that he is set to stay, it remains to be seen if Rangnick will incorporate the player into his plans as the Red Devils make a final push to finish in the top four.
The club’s decision to not sanction a move to West Ham is partly understandable given that they too are in the race for the top four. Newcastle could, however, have benefitted from Lingard’s services without impacting Manchester United much. In the end, it would appear that Lingard has been shortchanged once again by the Red Devils’ decision-makers.
