In a recent report, the Guardian has claimed that West Ham United are eyeing a loan move for Manchester United playmaker Jesse Lingard this month. It is believed that the Hammers are planning to buy Said Benrahma permanently to pave away for a loan move for the English attacker during this January transfer window (via The Guardian).
Lingard’s Career At Old Trafford Has Come To A Standstill
Lingard has endured a frustrating campaign with the Red Devils as he has failed to earn regular first-team minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stewardship thus far. The 28-year-old has featured in three matches for the Mancunian outfit this term, receiving a total of 179 minutes of game time across all competitions.
The Warrington-born talent had a far more prominent season in England in the previous term when he made 40 appearances for Man United, registering four goals and two assists on all fronts. He only managed to average 1.0 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game in the Premier League last season. However, Lingard was quite tidy when distributing possession in the opposition half as evident from his pass completion rate of 87.7% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The Red Devils outcast is in dire need of more game time so that he can find some form and start performing consistently on the field. David Moyes has the luxury to offer him more playing minutes at the London Stadium in the second half of this campaign which could be too tempting for the player to turn down.
What Will The English Sensation Add To Moyes’ Side?
Lingard is a deceptively quick winger who can also play as an attacking midfielder down the middle if needed. He is quite agile and has excellent balance when dribbling with the ball out of tight spaces but can sometimes lack invention with his passing in the final third.
The 24-time England international has a good work ethic and could flourish playing under Moyes if he gets a regular run of games in the coming months. At 28, Lingard is currently at the peak stage of his playing career, so it makes sense for him to go out on loan in the hopes of coming back as a better version of himself at the end of this campaign.
Is Lingard The Right Fit For The Hammers?
Moyes can benefit from adding more depth to his squad as he has often seen his key players miss some high-profile matches this season. Lingard will undeniably add more quality and depth to the West Ham squad because of his experience of playing at the highest level with Man United over the past few years. He is a player lacking in confidence which has seen his form take a significant dip on the field.
Hence, Moyes could fancy getting the best out of the player if he manages to get a loan deal done for him this month. With all things considered, Lingard will be a good fit for the East London outfit as he has what it takes to help them secure a top-half finish in the Premier League table this season.
