Sam Allardyce has told talkSPORT that reported West Ham United and Newcastle United target Jesse Lingard has gone “backwards” at Manchester United.
The former Newcastle and West Ham manager believes that Lingard made a mistake by staying at Manchester United this season.
Allardyce made the comments about Lingard while giving his take on midfielder Conor Gallagher, now on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea.
The Times reported earlier this month that Newcastle have made Lingard their top January transfer target.
Eurosport have claimed that West Ham are interested in the 26-year-old, who can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger.
Sam Allardyce on West Ham and Newcastle target Jesse Lingard
Allardyce told talkSPORT: “He would want to go back and try and get in the team but I think if you do that, you’ve got to play enough first team games because if you don’t you can easily fall backwards like Jesse Lingard.
“Staying at Man United I think has been a bad choice for him because he’s not been selected. While at West Ham he was one of the best goalscoring midfield players in the Premier League in his time there now he’s sitting on the bench at Man United.
“So you have to be very careful on your choices at the right time and if you’re playing as much football as Conor’s playing now, and enjoying it more than ever with Palace then you want to continue that. If that’s not at Chelsea it can certainly be somewhere else in the Premier League I’m sure.”
Time to leave Manchester United
In our opinion, Lingard should leave Manchester United in the January transfer window, especially with West Ham and Newcastle keen.
The England international is unlikely to get much playing time at Old Trafford.
And, in our view, a move to West Ham or Newcastle would make sense from a playing perspective.
We think that West Ham would be a better fit than Newcastle for Lingard.
The Magpies are in danger of getting relegated, while the Hammers are challenging for the Premier League top four and are also playing in the Europa League.
Moreover, Lingard spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham from the Red Devils.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
