In a recent report, Euro Sport has claimed that West Ham United are set to compete with Leicester City to sign Jesse Lingard permanently from Manchester United once his loan spell comes to an end. It is understood that the Hammers will have a real battle on their hands to retain the services of the English playmaker as Man United want him to return and replace Juan Mata while the Foxes are also monitoring his situation ahead of a potential move at the end of this campaign (via Euro Sport).
Lingard’s Incredible Start To His Loan Spell At East London
Lingard has made a terrific start to his loan spell at the London Stadium as he has already put in some match-winning displays as the primary attacking midfielder in David Moyes’ starting XI. The 28-year-old has banged in three goals and earned one assist in four matches for the Hammers recently in the Premier League, which includes a brace on his debut against Aston Villa.
The 24-time England international deserves a lot of praise for averaging 3.0 shots, 0.8 key passes, 0.5 crosses and 1.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the English first division. He has even been careful when linking up play with others around him, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 81.1% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The English Playmaker Bring To The Table?
Lingard can score and create goals regularly when he is playing with confidence, like how he is doing right now for West Ham. He has decent pace under his belt and can make some encouraging runs with the ball using his agility, excellent balance and dribbling ability.
The English sensation can read the game well and is proficient at getting himself into some dangerous areas in and around the opponent’s penalty box. He is a hard-working player but can sometimes fade in and out of matches which could make him a liability on the field.
Why The Hammers Need To Keep Hold Of Lingard Beyond This Summer
The way Lingard has been playing of late, it is a no-brainer for Moyes to try and launch a move to keep him at the English capital permanently beyond the end of this campaign. He has already made himself a regular starter for West Ham and is slowly becoming a fan-favourite because of his ability to win matches on his own.
If Lingard can continue to perform at a high level in the remainder of this campaign, the Hammers would be wise to fend off interest from other clubs by tabling a fair offer to make his transfer permanent. Otherwise, Moyes would find it difficult to get a player of a similar skillset, especially after Lingard’s rich vein of form at the London Stadium this season.
