West Ham United want Matheus Pereira as Jesse Lingard’s replacement with Leeds and Leicester City also watching the Premier League playmaker, as reported by The Express.
In an ideal world, David Moyes would hand his Manchester United loanee a full-time contract tomorrow.
Lingard has been a huge hit at the London Stadium, playing arguably the best football of his career.
But with the Daily Mail reporting the rejuvenated England international is demanding a four-year deal worth £100,000 if he’s to stay at West Ham, there’s a chance Lingard could price himself out of a long-term stay in the East End.
And the Europe-chasing Hammers are wasting no time as they scour the market for a potential replacement.
Pereira, like Lingard, has taken the division by storm in recent weeks, inspiring West Brom’s remarkable 5-2 thrashing of Chelsea, shining against Aston Villa and netting a brilliant individual goal vs Arsenal on Sunday – his 11th of the season.
The Express reports West Ham will only move for Pereira if Lingard goes.
Leicester City and Leeds United have also expressed their interest in a £20 million attacker whose speed, vision, skill and work rate make him an ideal fit for Marcelo Bielsa and Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester are understood to be leading the chase as it stands.
Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that, with James Maddison off colour and Harvey Barnes injured, the Foxes have lacked their usual creative spark in their past two matches.
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