On Monday, The Star reported that West Ham United have already held talks with Manchester United playmaker Jesse Lingard’s agent in recent weeks. It is believed that the Hammers boss David Moyes is willing to offer the Red Devils outcast an escape route out of Old Trafford but can expect to face competition from Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United in pursuit of the player (via The Star).
Lingard’s Mounting Struggles At The North West Of England
Lingard has endured a frustrating time at the Theatre of Dreams this season as he has hardly featured for the Mancunian giants so far. The Warrington-born attacker has been involved in just two matches for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team this term, receiving a total of 99 minutes of playing time in the EFL Cup.
The 28-year-old was a decent squad player for the Red Devils in the previous campaign when he scored four goals and earned two assists in 40 matches for them in various competitions. However, Lingard failed to be consistent with his overall contributions in the opposition half as he averaged 1.0 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2019-20 Premier League season. At least he took care of the ball when distributing possession after completing 87.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Will The England International Add To David Moyes’ Side?
Lingard is a deceptively quick player who can make some driving runs with the ball when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. Even when the 24-time England international is not firing on all cylinders, he can still put in a tireless shift for his team.
The former EFL Championship talent is highly versatile as he can operate in multiple positions across the midfield and frontline. He is primarily a right-sided winger but can also operate on the left flank or assume the duties of an attacking midfielder in the number ten position. However, Lingard needs to be more clinical and more creative in the final third if he wants to stay relevant at the highest level.
Will Lingard Be A Decent Choice For The Hammers?
At the moment, David Moyes has got a strong core of first-team players but not enough quality on his bench. Hence, the Hammers can benefit from recruiting someone like Lingard, who could add some quality and energy to their attacking department.
Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals have carried most of the creative and goal-scoring workload at the London Stadium this season. Lingard will undeniably reduce some of their burden if West Ham can find a way to convince him to come to East London before the transfer window slams shut at the start of next month.
