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West Ham to make fresh Jesse Lingard bid in January window

Rice and Lingard - Peter Tarry/NMC Pool
Rice and Lingard - Peter Tarry/NMC Pool

West Ham United will attempt to re-sign Jesse Lingard in the January transfer window but fear that Manchester United will not sanction a deal because they now regard them as a top-four rival.

Lingard is moving closer to leaving United after talks over a new contract collapsed. It is understood his preference is to make a loan move until the end of the season within the Premier League and then sign a long-term deal elsewhere on a free transfer.

Sources have suggested that the 28-year-old is keen to move abroad and has his eyes on a switch to Serie A. Lingard, who has been at United since he was seven, has also been linked with a move to Spain.

A motivation for Lingard asking for a move in January would also be to try to force his way back into the England squad before next year’s World Cup.

West Ham have monitored the situation closely. They tried to sign Lingard at the end of last season but received little encouragement from United or the player despite a hugely successful loan spell in the second half of last season.

Lingard scored nine goals after linking up again with David Moyes and played a significant role in West Ham finishing sixth and just two points outside the Champions League places. West Ham have kicked on since then and are currently in third place, six points ahead of sixth-placed United.

United would obviously be worried if they allowed Lingard to return to West Ham and he helped them finish above them in the table even though he has been a bit-part player for them this season.

Newcastle United are also understood to be keen to sign Lingard but it remains to be seen whether he would want to join a club currently in a relegation battle. However it appears his game-time at United will remain limited especially after talks over a new deal ended.

In an apparently pointed reference Lingard posted a photograph on his Instagram story on Friday of himself in a West Ham shirt celebrating with the caption @westham.