Simon Jordan has claimed that Jesse Lingard didn’t want to join West Ham this summer, as he told talkSPORT (01/09/21 at 11:30 am).
The former Crystal Palace owner has said that he is ‘not surprised’ that Lingard didn’t swap Old Trafford for the London Stadium on a permanent basis.
Lingard lapped up a successful goal-crazy spell at West Ham during the six-month period he was at the club.
He helped the Hammers secure a top-six finish and the obvious of him possibly returning was muted this summer.
But, in the end, the 28-year-old stayed put at his boyhood club, where he will seemingly get the chance to play.
Jordan shared that if Lingard really wanted to return to East London then he would have knocked on Manchester United’s door and asked to leave.
“I don’t think Lingard wanted to come to West Ham,” said Jordan. “I think if Lingard wanted to come to West Ham then he would have walked into Man United’s office or gone to Ole’s and said ‘I want to go to West Ham’.
“I think he was great for West Ham on loan. But there is a vast difference between a loan signing and a permanent signing.
“As much as Lingard, on the face of it, looked like a real acquisition for West Ham. I am not surprised he didn’t come because I never got the impression that he wanted to go to them on a full-time basis.”
Lingard’s brief spell at West Ham resulted in him getting a recall for England, although, he was unlucky to miss out on the final squad for Euro 2020.
The attack-minded midfielder is currently on national duty, at the moment, with Gareth Southgate’s side taking part in their World Cup qualifiers.
But if Lingard wants to continue to be selected then he needs to get out on the pitch at club level, as soon as possible, else he will regret not moving when he had the chance to do so this summer.
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