Man Utd told to use Jesse Lingard as bait to help land £125m game-changer

Kalvin Phillips, Jesse Lingard, West Ham v Leeds

Manchester United transfer chief Matt Judge should consider using Jesse Lingard as bait to help the club land one of their top transfer targets this summer, according to one pundit.

Lingard has rediscovered his mojo during the second half of this season since moving to West Ham. Indeed, the 28-year-old has directly contributed to 13 goals in 11 games since moving to the capital on loan. As such, he could cap off a remarkable spell with a spot in England’s Euro 2020 squad.

However, his future beyond the summer tournament remains unclear, with the Hammers keen to make his move permanent. They’re not the only interested parties, however, with Arsenal, Spurs and Leicester touted as suitors. Aston Villa have also recently joined the hunt, according to reports.

Gary Neville also raised the prospect that Lingard might still have a future at Manchester United. However, in giving the player a blunt message, he explained he could only do so if he accepted a squad role at Old Trafford.

However, it seems likely that a permanent move to the London Stadium is the most likely outcome. According to a report this week, Lingard is ready to inform the Red Devils of his wish to join the Hammers for the long haul.

And while that is music to West Ham fans’ ears, former United star Luke Chadwick reckons the Red Devils should try to be a little cuter over Lingard.

In fact, he has advised United’s negotiator Matt Judge to try and use Lingard as bait in a deal to sign Harry Kane. The striker appears unsettled at Tottenham after offering a brutal assessment of Tottenham’s season. As such, he could look to leave in a deal likely to cost suitors in the region of £125million.

With Spurs linked with Lingard, Chadwick reckons the deal would make sense. Failing that, he says they could try to do similar with Aston Villa to try and secure the signing of Jack Grealish.

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“I think Jesse Lingard, since his loan to West Ham, has probably been the best player in the Premier League for the past six, eight weeks,” Chadwick told Caught Offside.

“It’s been fantastic for him and has perhaps shown it is time for him to move to pastures new.

“If that was possible, and Lingard gets to play week in, week out at a club like Aston Villa, and Man United can attract one of the best players in the league in Jack Grealish, who’s got a huge future in front of him, that could be a fantastic piece of business on both sides.”


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Chadwick advises Kane to quit Spurs

Chadwick though reckons now is the time for Kane to leave Tottenham after another rollercoaster season.

“I think if Kane is ever going to leave Tottenham, it’ll be this summer. With the whole merry-go-round of managers in there, no one really knows who’s coming in next,” added Chadwick.

Harry Kane England press conference

“It looks like they’re going to struggle to get into the Champions League next season, so they won’t be playing in the biggest club competition in Europe, they’ve just lost the Carabao Cup final to Man City. I think now is the time.

“You look at the three players in world football who guarantee you goals, Kane, Mbappe or Haaland. If you get any of those three, if any of them end up at United… You’d fancy them to win the league.”

Talking about a potential deal involving Lingard as the bait, Chadwick insisted that’s another that would make sense.

“Kane has done it week in, week out in the Premier League for years now,” he added. “And if United can get him they should do everything in their power to do so.”

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