West Ham United manager David Moyes is reportedly keen on signing Manchester United outcast Jesse Lingard during the January transfer window.
The Hammers have made a solid start to the new season and sit fourth in the Premier League standings after their 1-1 home draw with Brighton on Wednesday. They are keen to add depth to their squad in the upcoming window to ensure their promising first half of the campaign doesn’t fade away.
According to the Daily Mirror, David Moyes is ready to bring back Jesse Lingard to West Ham United, after the east London club failed to match Manchester United’s asking price in the summer.
Lingard, 28, was heavily linked with a permanent move to West Ham following a successful loan spell, where he registered nine goals and four assists in just 16 Premier League games to help the east London club clinch a Europa League berth.
After deciding to stay at Old Trafford over the summer and fight for his place in the team, he has struggled for game time this season. The Englishman is yet to start any Premier League or Champions League games this season, managing only seven league appearances to date.
At the moment, the Red Devils are in a weaker position than before, as Lingard is into the final year of his contract and can leave on a Bosman at the end of the season.
Jesse Lingard to West Ham United – Do the Hammers need him?
Earlier this week, David Moyes admitted he would be looking for attacking reinforcements when the transfer market reopens next month. West Ham have performed extremely well this campaign and rightly find themselves in the top four.
The sauce, @JesseLingard 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QS9HXAcg4u
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 16, 2021
However, they have managed just one point in their last three league games, with Moyes’ side lacking the cutting edge last in the 1-1 draw with Brighton at the London Stadium. This makes Jesse Lingard a viable target for the Hammers, considering he can bring in the chance creation factor sorely missing from their play in the last few weeks.
Lingard enjoyed a new lease of life under Moyes at West Ham last season. The England international was at the heart of moves at West Ham and scored goals consistently. He linked play well with the likes of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio in the final third. He finished the season with nine goals and four assists, which is his highest return in the English top flight.
If the 28-year-old has genuine ambitions of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup next year, it is time for him to leave Old Trafford in January. And a move to West Ham could help Lingard enjoy the game again and revive his stuttering career.