Jesse Lingard’s cryptic new TikTok video suggests he has chosen to rejoin West Ham as an announcement looms next week.
West Ham fans will be repeating that famous line from the Godfather today “just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”.
Because most Hammers fans are sick to the back teeth of the on-off, will he, won’t he Lingard to West Ham saga.
It has been the worst kept secret in football that David Moyes has been desperate to bring Lingard back to West Ham on a permanent basis.
In fairness to the attacking midfield ace who lit up the London Stadium during that unforgettable six-month loan, he couldn’t have joined West Ham even if he had wanted to last season as Man United would not allow it.
Now the 29-year-old is a free agent, though, the world is in many ways his oyster.
And excitingly, it looks like he’s chosen jellied eels.
According to a report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein yesterday Lingard is set to announce his new club next week with West Ham one of several English clubs interested as well as MLS sides DC United and Inter Miami.
A lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia is also on the table.
“EXCL: Jesse Lingard will make decision on future next week,” Ornstein said on Twitter.
“(The) 29yo wants to be in a club no later than Fri 22 July. Not moving to MLS but considering Saudi in £10m-per-year deal. Preference is PL (3 offers on table) but Saudi a firm option.”
Lingard is famed for his social media presence and dances.
And Lingard’s cryptic new TikTok video suggests he has chosen to rejoin West Ham as the announcement looms next week.
In a video captioned “Decisions. Decisions. Decisions” alongside a football emoji, Lingard is filmed standing at the door of his house with several empty thought bubbles above his head.
He holds his finger to his chin before pointing at one of them suggesting he has made his mind up.
He then walks over to two cars in his driveway – an expensive new Lamborghini SUV and a beaten up old Honda Civic.
The West Ham target goes as if he is choosing the big money car but switches and jumps into the Honda instead.
Many have taken the Lambo to be representative of one of the mega money offers Lingard has received for his next move while the Honda appears to represent choosing substance and a tried and trusted old friend where Lingard feels comfortable and at home – West Ham?
It could be a coincidence but the number plate of the Honda may also be key.
The first four letters/digits are W282, which when typed out into a keyboard offers WEST as the first option on autocorrect.
And the last three letters RBA could signify Rice, Bowen, Antonio.
Or it could of course just be a really old number plate and we are showing our desperation by looking so deeply into it!
Signing Lingard on a free would be sensational business for West Ham and leave Moyes plenty in his reported budget to sign a striker, another central midfielder and a left-back.
The cryptic TikTok points very much to West Ham but either way we will all be put out of our misery in a few days it seems.
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