Man Utd have decided to keep Jesse Lingard at the club next season rather than selling him to West Ham, according to reports.
Lingard has been on fire for the Hammers, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet whilst guiding his new team to a top-six finish, scoring nine goals in the process.
The 28-year-old has become an unlikely contender for Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming Euro’s and was included in the most recent Three Lions squad back in March.
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David Moyes managed Lingard in the 2013/14 season, and the Scotsman was pivotal towards the midfielder’s decision to join the Hammers.
The West Ham boss has made it clear that he wants to keep the loanee around next season too but a rumoured permanent deal now seems in jeopardy.
The Sun claims that Man Utd have made a ‘shock U-turn’ on their transfer stance over Lingard and West Ham ‘fear’ they will ‘block any attempt to sign’ Lingard ‘by opting to keep the star this summer’.
The report adds that there are ‘increasing concerns within the club that United have no interest in letting the England ace leave Old Trafford’ and that there ‘has been no contact at all between the two clubs to discuss a permanent deal’.
By helping the Hammers qualify for the Europa League next season, Lingard has ‘confirmed their belief he is still a top class player’ and with the prospect that Man Utd would ‘get little more than around £15million’ for him, the 28-year-old looks set to stay.
His form has been so good since he joined West Ham that Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes claimed earlier this month that Lingard had been the “best player in the Premier League” over the last ten games.
“If you see Jesse, I think Jesse, at the moment, if you watch the last 10 games, has been top, top, top level,” Fernandes told MUTV. “For me, if you watch the last 10 games, he’s been the best player in the Premier League, scoring and assists in every game.
“Everyone here is really, really happy for him. He has confidence back, he has his swag back, because he is feeling confident. We are really, really happy for what he’s doing.”
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