Jesse Lingard has reportedly refused a new contract at Manchester United due to a concern about a lack of minutes.
To be fair to Lingard, we can understand why he is worried about a lack of minutes at Old Trafford, the Red Devils have plenty of attacking midfield options such as Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba who may play ahead of him, and he’s not found football easy to come by in Manchester for a couple of years now.
However, we have to ask, if Lingard was worried about a lack of minutes, why did he opt to stay at Old Trafford this summer?
The transfer window closed just over a week ago, and you’d have to think Lingard surely could have had a word with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about potentially leaving the club if he had these concerns, and he would have had the perfect suitor waiting for him in the shape of West Ham United.
It’s no secret that West Ham wanted Lingard this summer after his loan spell that saw him branded as ‘amazing’ by Rio Ferdinand at one point.
“He could play in any top team because he’s an intelligent footballer. He can play off one-touch or two-touch,” Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five. Adding: “Since he’s gone in there (West Ham), what he’s done is amazing.”
Lingard seemed to have found the perfect club at West Ham. He fit the system, he got on with everyone in the dressing room and he was playing regularly, but instead of pushing for a permanent move he opted to stay in Manchester, and it seems as though that’s a decision he’s already regretting.
Sadly, there’s every chance that the West Ham ship will have sailed by the time January comes around. Nikola Vlasic has been signed in his place, and if he hits the ground running, it’s hard to imagine the Hammers will go back in for the England international.
A move to West Ham in the summer of 2021 would have been perfect for Lingard, and he may live to regret not pushing harder for that switch.
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