In a recent interview with Football Insider, Kevin Phillips tipped Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard to be a good fit for Everton. The ex-England striker said, “It’s almost a no-brainer in my opinion.
“What he did at West Ham was phenomenal. Whichever club signs him, if he does leave United, is getting a top-quality player.
“He’s so effective in the final third. He can finish. I think he’d be a big asset to any football club.
“A lot of Premier League teams will be looking at him but he would fit in well at Everton. Geographically, it would make a lot of sense as well.”
Lingard’s Lack Of Game Time In English Football This Season
Despite having a productive loan spell at West Ham United in the second half of last season, Lingard has failed to break into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first team. He has often had to settle for a spot on the bench which has disrupted his progress at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old participated in eight matches for the Red Devils this season, netting two goals and grabbing one assist in multiple competitions. However, Lingard has not made most of his appearances off the bench which could be why he is only averaging 0.6 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.2 dribbles per game in Premier League football. He has even been careful with his ball distribution after completing 94.9% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
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Should Everton Get Lingard On Board?
Lingard needs to ensure regular playing minutes if he wants to get back to playing at his best. On his day, he can be quite an effective attacker in the opposition half as he has got the knack to score and create a few important goals for his side.
The English playmaker hardly throws away possession and can be a delight to watch when he is running at full swing towards the opponent’s penalty box. Hence, it makes sense for Everton to try everything they can to get Lingard on board next year.
At 28, the Warrington-born sensation could function at the top of his game if the Toffees are willing to offer him an escape route out of his current nightmare at the Theatre of Dreams. All in all, Lingard will be a shrewd acquisition for the Merseyside outfit as he would enhance the quality of their first team for the coming seasons.
