Juventus have reportedly abandoned their pursuit of Manchester United playmaker Jesse Lingard after holding contract talks.
According to a report from Goal, Jesse Lingard’s move to Juventus has stalled after the Serie A giants decided to abandon their pursuit of the Englishman. They were initially keen on singing the Manchester United playmaker, but after holding contract talks, they have decided to target other players instead.
The collapse of Juventus’s pursuit of Lingard is going to serve as a major blow for Massimiliano Allegri. The Juventus manager was certainly of the Englishman’s qualities and had backed up him to follow the footsteps of many English players that have proven to be successful on Italian shores lately.
The list includes the likes of Chris Smalling, Ashley Young, Fikayo Tomori and most recently, Tammy Abraham, although Abraham has been subjected to an immediate return to the Premier League, amid interest from Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Arsenal.
A move to Italy, though, has been ruled out for Lingard. After putting an end to his 20-year association with Manchester United, the Englishman is expected to choose his next club wisely, as he looks to earn a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Lingard is ideally looking for regular game-time at his new club. The Manchester United playmaker’s former employers West Ham appear to be ahead in the race, as the player knows David Moyes quite well and had enjoyed a fruitful six-month spell during the second half of the 2020/21 campaign.
Lingard will be open to rejoining West Ham, although the Hammers are facing stiff competition from other Premier League clubs. Everton and Newcastle United are among the other clubs keeping tabs on the playmaker’s situation.
For a free transfer, Lingard represents excellent value, especially considering the fact that the former Manchester United starlet is not expected to ask for a hefty salary either. It makes him an ideal coup for a club like West Ham, while the likes of Newcastle and Everton could benefit from his arrival as well.
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A reunion with Jose Mourinho is another possibility for Lingard, with the AS Roma boss identifying him as one of the targets for the Serie A giants. However, the 29-year-old is likely to remain in the Premier League, and with that in mind, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the race to sign the English international, in this summer transfer window.
