In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson tipped Everton to win the race for Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard. Robinson said,
“It is a move that would work both in a footballing and a logistical sense. First and foremost, he wouldn’t have to move from Manchester.
“In regards to the football side of things he would fit in perfectly at Everton. Benitez played with a three in behind [Salomon] Rondon on Saturday. Imagine Lingard in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin. I think that would be a great signing.
“It would be a good deal for all parties involved. Everton are at the same level as West Ham, where Jesse was last year. I’m sure he would enjoy playing his football there.”
Lingard’s Sporadic Role At Old Trafford This Season
Lingard has found game time hard to come by at the Theatre of Dreams so far following a fruitful loan spell with West Ham in the previous campaign. Despite his limited role, the English playmaker has managed to catch the eye with his performances in recent weeks.
The Three Lions star has featured in seven matches for the Red Devils this season, scoring two goals in the process across all competitions. Most of his appearances have come as a substitute, so it is no surprise that he is only averaging 0.8 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has also been excellent with his ball distribution after completing 97.2% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Lingard Bring To Everton?
Lingard can make some clever movements with the ball at his feet and is proficient at keeping possession ticking effortlessly in the opposition half. He can also set up a few clear-cut chances for his teammates and is usually a powerful striker of the ball that makes him a potent goal-threat in the final third.
Everton can definitely use someone of Lingard’s skillset as he will bring a lot of goals and creativity to Rafael Benitez’s first team. Hence, the Toffees should think about listening to Robinson’s advice by engineering a move to land him in January or sign him on a free transfer at the end of this season.
Lingard is currently playing at his prime and has the potential to form a productive attacking partnership with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison at Goodison Park. Therefore, Rafael Benitez should think about bringing him to the blue half of Merseyside next year.
