After a scintillating start to his West Ham United loan spell all the talk has been about Jesse Lingard’s future beyond this season.
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The Man United loan ranger has looked a class apart for West Ham bar the tired team display at Fulham.
Playing between the lines, the 28-year-old has provided an excellent link for between defence and attack for West Ham with his pace and ability.
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Two goals on his debut and a man of the match performance were followed by another MOTM display and an assist in the 3-0 win over Sheffield United.
All the talk has been ‘can we keep him’. And if West Ham supporters were at matches they would undoubtedly be chanting ‘sign him up’.
West Ham fans were bitterly disappointed to read reports from the likes of The Athletic after Lingard’s debut claiming the Hammers had no option to buy in the deal with Man United.
But insiders Claret & Hugh, who have direct links to the club’s owners David Sullivan and David Gold, gave supporters hope saying Lingard will likely be a West Ham player next season and could be signed from the Red Devils for just £10 million.
Insiders change stance over Lingard’s West Ham future
Now though Claret & Hugh appear to have changed their stance over signing Lingard permanently.
In an update on the playmaker’s permanent future, C&H say it is a ‘possibility rather than a given’.
And the site now claims he will only be available on another loan – even though Lingard’s value would dwindle given his contract is up at the end of next season.
“Jesse Lingard’s West Ham future could probably be best described as a realistic possibility rather than a given!,” Claret & Hugh claim.
“And come the summer we are going to find out whether the special relationship the manager has with his former Manchester United player is strong enough to bring him to the club permanently.
“We understand that the position currently is that the Old Trafford club are not ready to sell him immediately the season ends.
“They would sooner he goes out on loan again and with six months in the shop window sell at Christmas unless they get an offer they can’t refuse.
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“The hope will be that three or four clubs come in and start an auction although the Hammers will remain in a strong position following his current spell at the club.”
Man United are much more likely to be able to command a bigger fee in the summer when Lingard has a year left of his contract.
Sending him out on another loan where he is at risk of injury and would leave just six months left until he is a free agent would not increase the player’s value.
West Ham fans will be hoping a deal can be struck this summer.
Lingard may be shining for the Hammers but he is behind eight players in the Old Trafford pecking order for various positions.
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