Leicester reportedly plotting summer move for 28y/o Rice wants West Ham to sign – originally posted on Sportslens.com
According to Eurosport, Leicester City are keeping tabs on West Ham United loanee Jesse Lingard and will continue to monitor his situation for the rest of the season ahead of a potential bid in the summer.
Sportslens View
The 28-year-old joined the Hammers on loan from Manchester United in January, and he has hit the ground running at the London Stadium, weighing in with three goals in four Premier League games.
Lingard did not feature in any league games for the Red Devils this season and scored just once in 22 EPL appearances last term.
His form with West Ham has now caught the eyes of Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, and more suitors are expected to join the Foxes in the race for the England international.
Hammers star Declan Rice wants the club to sign Lingard on a permanent basis, while Man Utd could be keen to have him back with Juan Mata set to leave this summer.
The player has found a new lease of life under manager David Moyes, establishing himself as a starter under the West Ham boss, and he could be keen to remain with the club beyond the end of the campaign.
The Hammers are currently in fourth-place in the league table, and qualifying for next season’s Champions League will definitely boost their chances of landing Lingard.
Leicester are also pushing for a top-four finish, and that will no doubt be attractive to the Man Utd attacking midfielder if West Ham miss out on the elite European competition.
Should the Red Devils decide to cash in on him, the England international would not be available on the cheap, and the Foxes and Hammers must be willing to meet their demands, with the highest bidder most likely to win the battle.
In other news, West Ham reportedly want to sign this Brazilian centre-back this summer.