Everton are interested in signing free agent Jesse Lingard, so will hope he fares better than these five arrivals at Goodison Park from Manchester United over the Premier League-era.
Lingard has left Old Trafford unattached following the expiration of his contract at the Red Devils on June 30. He had spent the past 21 years connected to the club after joining in his youth, and graduated the academy to earn 231 first-team appearances in all competitions.
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Manchester United have allowed Lingard to leave this summer, having struggled to force a way into their side last season. The 29-year-old featured 22 times, but he only started four games and amassed 548 minutes on the field, with just 355 coming in the Premier League.
Everton are interested in free Lingard transfer after Manchester United exit
Lingard additionally made his two Premier League starts for the 2021/22 campaign during February and April, alongside 14 substitute appearances. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim manager Ralf Rangnick left the 32-cap England ace on the bench 16 times between them.
Now, a chance to sign Lingard for free having left Manchester United interests Everton, per The Sun. Frank Lampard has marked the midfield maestro as a major target as he strives to take the Toffees back up the top-flight table on the back of avoiding relegation last season.
But the Merseyside outfit’s difficult financial situation concerns Lingard, who is wary about joining a club sacrificing stars this summer. The Blues must also do most of their dealings to improve Lampard’s side in the free agent market to stay clear of Financial Fair Play issues.
So much so that Lingard views Everton’s interest as a last resort option as he studies which club to join. That could also be down to talkSPORT reporting the one-time FA Cup winner is demanding a £150k-a-week contract from his new side, and is favouring West Ham United.
A salary in that region will put Lingard atop Everton’s wage bill, if Lampard’s interest wins out, per Spotrac figures. So, the Goodison hierarchy would hope the Warrington-born star proves to be a greater hit on Merseyside than these five arrivals from Manchester United…
Van de Beek failed to impress during loan spell at Everton to concern Lingard
Everton only launched their last raid on Manchester United this January as Lampard signed Donny van de Beek on loan. But the temporary deal that promised the Dutchman a chance to show the Red Devils his skill after struggling at Old Trafford did not work out as planned.
The 25-year-old managed just seven appearances and started five times during his time on Merseyside as thigh and groin injuries kept him from eight games. He also hit his sole goal in royal blue on the final day of the term in first-half stoppage-time in a 5-1 loss at Arsenal.
Van de Beek had threatened to spark Everton’s season back into life during his initial run in Lampard’s squad. He made an impressive debut against Leeds United by offering a creative spark the Toffees had missed in the centre, but he could not maintain his level throughout.
Schneiderlin offers Lingard Manchester United exit warning amid Everton interest
Morgan Schneiderlin provides Lingard with a warning that the grass is not always greener at Everton upon leaving Manchester United. The Toffees paid the Red Devils £20m, rising up to £24m, for the Frenchman in January 2017 to cap an 18 month career at Old Trafford.
But despite the considerable investment Ronald Koeman made, Schneiderlin would leave Everton for Nice in 2020 after 88 games. He also only played 29 times across the 2018/19 and ‘19/20 Premier League campaigns to leave the Toffees happy to only recoup just £2m.
Schneiderlin was entering the last year of his Everton contract when Nice swooped during Patrick Vieira’s tenure there. Injuries also limited his availability at Goodison, with surgery on a torn meniscus making a trip to Arsenal in February 2020 his last game for the Toffees.
Everton turned profit on Gibson without midfielder being a huge success
Everton managed to turn a profit on Darron Gibson when David Moyes returned to re-sign the Republic of Ireland midfielder. He had moved to Goodison from Manchester United in 2012 for £500k under the Scot, who later paid £7.5m for Gibson and Bryan Oviedo in 2017.
The Blues let Gibson reunite with Moyes at Sunderland, having only made 69 appearances for the club. He had also only featured 28 times across all competitions after the 2012/13 campaign following a raft of injuries, starting with rupturing his ACL during October 2013.
O’Kane felt the pain of Everton axe 18 months after Manchester United exit
John O’Kane left Manchester United for Everton in 1998 at 23 for the chance to play under Howard Kendall. He would help the Toffees avoid relegation on the final day of the season, but the right-back later told Sky Sports in 2021 that ‘part of me wishes I had stopped then’.
Walter Smith’s arrival at the Goodison helm that summer left O’Kane out of favour, sent to Burnley on loan in October and sold to Bolton Wanderers in 1999. His Blues record would end with just 16 appearances, of which 12 came during the 1997/98 Premier League term.
Everton axed Blomqvist one year after joining from Manchester United
Everton followed Sir Alex Ferguson’s advice to sign Jesper Blomqvist for free in 2001 after the Swede left Manchester United after his contract expired, per The Irish Examiner. The Red Devils paid Parma £4.5m for him three years before, but he missed two due to injury.
The move to Merseyside would see Blomqvist make his return to the field for 18 games in all competitions. But the switch did not see the 30-cap ace find a home as Everton would release him the following summer, before penning a one-year deal with Charlton Athletic.
Blomqvist’s struggles at Everton after joining as a free agent could serve as a disappointing precedent for Lingard to perhaps follow amid Lampard’s interest in the Manchester United product. Van de Beek’s difficulties can also offer him a more recent warning this summer.
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