In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League defender Danny Mills tipped West Ham United to land Jesse Lingard permanently from Manchester United for £15m. When quizzed about how much the Hammers should pay to acquire the services of the English playmaker, Mills said,
“It’s an interesting one.
“I guess it depends on how much Manchester United want to get rid of him, how much Manchester United want to get him off the wage bill. I’m sure there’s a deal to be had and that is for sure – they certainly can work something out.
“He’s got a year left so if he sits there for six months he can go abroad for nothing. If he’s there next year they’re probably going to have to loan him out anyhow.
“His loan fee was £1.5million. So last year of his contract, get him off the wage bill they might take something as low as £15million perhaps.
“He’s clearly not part of Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer’s plans so do they keep him around for the sake of it? Or somebody gives them £15million and they let him go.
“Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and West Ham could end up getting a real bargain.”
Lingard’s Impressive Loan Spell At East London
Lingard is enjoying a brilliant loan spell at the London Stadium at the moment after putting in some eye-catching displays as the primary attacking midfielder of David Moyes’ starting XI. The English talent has registered four goals and two assists in six matches for the East London outfit in the Premier League so far.
The Warrington-born player has caught the eye despite only a handful of league appearances this season by averaging 1.0 tackles, 3.2 shots, 1.2 key passes, 0.7 crosses and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in the English top-flight. The 28-year-old has even been relatively tidy when linking up play with others around him after making 78.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The England International Offer On The Pitch?
Lingard has a good football IQ and can get himself into some dangerous areas in and around the opposition penalty box. He is proficient at dribbling with the ball using his agility, balance and close control and can cause a few problems for his marker in the final third.
The 24-time England international has shown that if he receives regular first-team starts, he can score and create goals consistently at the highest level of English football. Plus, Lingard has fit into Moyes’ playing style quite well and developed a good understanding with his teammates at the London Stadium in recent weeks.
Will Lingard Be A Good Option For Moyes To Keep Beyond This Summer?
Currently, Lingard is playing some of the best football of his playing career after establishing himself as a valuable member of the Hammers first XI. At 28, he is enjoying his prime, so the East Londoners can benefit a lot from acquiring his signature permanently at the end of this campaign. All in all, Lingard will be a decent option for Moyes as long as the West Ham boss can agree on a £15m fee (suggested by Danny Mills) for the player’s services.
