Jessie Lingard has revealed the true extent of his personal difficulties that have contributed to his disappointing recent time at Manchester United.
Lingard has been maligned by some sections of the fanbase this term, and has fallen out of favour with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 27-year-0ld scored his first Premier League goal since December 2018 against Leicester City on the final day showdown in a rare appearance from the substitutes bench.
Lingard has been open and honest about his off-the-field issues that may have had a detrimental impact on his performances for the Reds.
And he has now confirmed his mother has had depression and he had to look after his two younger siblings.
“I was the type of guy that liked to bottle things up, keep everything to myself, but various things happened and I felt it was the right time to speak out,” Lingard told BBC presenter Maya Jama for the #SoundOfSupport series, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.
“Last season, I was going through some things off the field with my family so it was difficult for me to perform on the field.
“I’m very family-orientated and my mum was going through some things last year with depression… she went to London to get that sorted out so in the meantime, I had to look after my little brother and sister who are 12 and 15.
“I was still performing at the same time. You just get to that point where you’re like, ‘I’ve got to actually say something here’. I spoke to my family and stuff like that. It felt so much better.”
It’s refreshing to hear a player of Lingard’s prominence to speak so openly about his mental health and we urge anyone else who is struggling to do the same.
Meanwhile, Lingard could leave Old Trafford this summer, with Solskjaer reportedly willing to listen to offers for the midfielder.
According to the Independent, Lingard is one of ‘about six players’ that could be moved on by Solskjaer as he looks to accelerate his squad rebuild this summer.
READ MORE: Why Man United could be forced to wait until next summer to sign Jadon Sancho
