Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard has been sparingly used by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season and with less than one year remaining on his contract at the club, an exit next summer is looking increasingly likely.
Lingard resurrected his career at West Ham last season with a stellar half-season, scoring nine goals and assisting a further four in just 16 appearances for the Hammers.
His sparkling form under David Moyes earned him a return to England set-up as well as involvement for Manchester United but despite impressing in his cameo appearances, he now finds himself at a crossroads once again.
According to ESPN, Manchester United now face the prospect of losing Lingard for nothing next year after the midfielder decided to scrap contract talks with the Old Trafford club.
The decision to disengage from talks over fresh terms is thought to have come after becoming increasingly frustrated over his lack of playing time since returning from loan at West Ham.
Furthermore, Lingard has already rejected one contract proposal from Manchester United and is intent on securing regular football in time for next year’s World Cup.
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SN’s verdict on Lingard potentially leaving United…
It’s never easy to see an academy graduate decide to leave Manchester United and especially when they’ve spent their entire senior career at the club, bar a few loan spells.
Lingard was one of Jose Mourinho’s favourite players and that feeling initially carried into Solskjaer’s reign but it eventually faltered, with Bruno Fernandes’ arrival playing a major role in Lingard’s lack of playing time.
His resurrection with West Ham does, however, put pressure on Solskjaer to use him but the Norwegian has withstood any suggestions of the kind.
Clearly, Lingard is good enough to play for just about any Premier League side but if he doesn’t feel like staying at United is enough for his own development, an exit is probably the way to go.
