In a recent update on their official website, West Ham United have confirmed the loan capture of Jesse Lingard from Manchester United. The English midfielder will now stay on loan with the Hammers at the London Stadium for the remainder of this campaign.
Lingard’s Underwhelming Spell In The Premier League Of Late
Lingard has struggled to earn regular playing minutes at the Theatre of Dreams in what has been a frustrating season for him so far. He has made just three appearances for the Red Devils this term, securing 179 minutes of game time in the process in multiple competitions.
The English playmaker enjoyed a more fruitful season at Manchester in the last term when he took part in 40 matches for Man United, netting four goals and securing two assists across all fronts. Lingard was far from consistent with his performances last season as he averaged 1.0 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He was still relatively accurate with his ball-distribution after completing 87.7% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
Now that Lingard has decided to join the Hammers, he will finally get a chance to earn some regular game time which might be the spark he needs to rediscover himself at the top level of English football.
What Will The English Playmaker Add To David Moyes’ Team?
On his day, Lingard can be a joy to watch on the offensive end of the field. However, those days have been few and far between for the 24-time England international in recent seasons because of his inconsistent form in the final third.
The Warrington-born sensation is a good dribbler with the ball as he can use his quickness, agility and close control to get out of tight spaces in the opposition half. He is a hard-working playmaker who can function on either flank or assume the duties of an attacking midfielder down the middle.
His versatility, coupled with his ability to make direct runs with the ball, could make him a useful player in Moyes’ match-day squad this season. He will undoubtedly add more quality and pace to the West Ham attack. Plus, Lingard could even strike up a productive attacking partnership with Michail Antonio at the London Stadium if he gets a regular run of games over the next few months.
The English attacker will offer some healthy competition for Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Manuel Lanzini at the English capital until the end of this campaign. All in all, both the player and the East London club can benefit from this move as long as Moyes can instil some confidence back in his new acquisition.
