Manchester United starlet Brandon Williams is a loan target for Newcastle United while Jesse Lingard wants clarification on his future by the end of the year.
According to a report from the Chronicle Live, Newcastle United have been closely monitoring Manchester United defender Brandon Williams as they line up a loan move for the youngster ahead of the January transfer window.
The 20-year-old is a product of the Red Devils’ youth academy and made his breakthrough into senior football last season, giving Luke Shaw some serious competition for the left-back slot. However, following the summer arrival of Alex Telles from FC Porto, Williams has found regular game time hard to come by at the first-team level.
Indeed, the England U-21 international has started just two matches across all competitions this season – both of them in the Carabao Cup, chipping in with a solitary assist.
Given his limited game time, there is a possibility that Manchester United could look to loan Williams out for the second half of the season to ensure that his development does not stagnate. Southampton have already shown an interest in acquiring his services and now, Newcastle United have also entered the fray to sign him on loan.
The Magpies are hoping to bolster their squad in the full-back department with Paul Dummett yet to play a single game this season. And Williams, considering his ability to play on either flank, becomes an appealing target for the Tynesiders.
Besides, ex-Manchester United great Steve Bruce is the manager at Newcastle and has a great rapport with the Red Devils’ boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his assistant Mike Phelan. So, if the Tynesiders do come in with an offer for Williams in January, there is a good chance that it will be entertained at Old Trafford.
With game time coming at a premium, loaning Williams out would make a lot of sense for Manchester United, provided Solskjaer isn’t planning to use the youngster as cover for Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right. With the January transfer window only a few weeks away, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle do make an approach for the 20-year-old.
Jesse Lingard sets deadline to resolve Manchester United future
Moving from one Manchester United academy graduate to another, Jesse Lingard is pushing for a resolution on his future at the club before the end of the year, as reported by Eurosport.
The English midfielder has been with the club since the age of seven and had grown into a vital part of the team under Jose Mourinho while playing a key role early into Ole’s tenure as well. However, over the past eighteen months or so, Lingard has endured a rapid fall from grace, finding himself on the fringes of the first-team at United.
The 27-year-old hasn’t started a Premier League game since the New Years defeat to Arsenal, featuring just twice in the ongoing campaign, both of which came in the Carabao Cup. In fact, Lingard has made the matchday squad in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League for just three games out of a possible fifteen.
Lingard’s contract with the club runs out at the end of the ongoing campaign, although, Manchester United have the option of extending it by another twelve months. With the January transfer window fast approaching, the England international is seeking a decision on his future at the club.
It is claimed that Lingard wants to know whether the 20-time English champions are planning on triggering the one-year extension option in his contract before the end of the year. If the answer is negative, the midfielder will seek an exit from the club in January, with a transfer abroad an option he is willing to consider.
Considering how sparingly he has featured, it is abundantly clear that Lingard doesn’t feature heavily in the plans of the manager. Letting him leave in January, with the Euros coming up next summer, would be the right thing to do by Manchester United.