He hasn’t started a game for United since New Year’s Day
Jesse Lingard is hoping to earn a move away from Manchester United with a run of performances in the Europa League.
The United academy product has been out of favour at United this season, more so after the signing of Bruno Fernandes, having not started a game since New Year’s Day. Since the Premier League’s resumption in June, 18-year-old Mason Greenwood has been preferred on the right wing, while Marcus Rashford has started on the left.
His first Premier League goal of the season came in the closing moments of the final day against Leicester, as a defensive mistake allowed him to slot the ball into an open net, breaking his duck at long last. The midfielder will hope this goal does enough to pique the interest of potential suitors.
Lingard was a late bloomer at United, with his personal highlights coming at Wembley, scoring winning goals in the FA Cup final in 2016 and a few months later in the Community Shield.
But he is likely to depart Old Trafford this summer, in search of first team football, with clubs across Europe, from Newcastle to Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach reportedly interested, according to the Times.
With the Europa League returning in August, Lingard is likely to return to the starting XI, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives his first XI a well earned rest after a gruelling run of congested fixtures over the past month.
Lingard’s career peak came in 2018, when he played crucial roles in England’s run to the World Cup semi-final and in United’s 2nd place league finish. But since then he has suffered from a dip in form, in part due to off the field issues, as he cared for his much younger siblings while their mother was unwell.
Lingard’s replacement at Old Trafford is likely to come in the form of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, although the German club are holding out for a fee of around €120 million, according to recent reports.
