New Lingard contract at Man Utd a waste of everyone’s time
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 2 May 2022 09:55 BST
- 3 min read
Jesse Lingard’s Manchester United career could be handed a surprise reprieve, with reports on Sunday suggesting that the England attacker may yet be handed a new contract.
Academy product Lingard has been determined to make things work at Man Utd, electing to remain at the club last summer after assurances over his playing time after a spectacular loan spell with West Ham.
Having failed to feature regularly, however, Lingard was denied the chance to leave the club in January, with the club claiming he was a valuable member of the squad. Although he has featured more regularly, his playing time remains limited.
Meanwhile, his contract is winding down and will expire at the end of June. The expectation was that he would leave at this point.
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Lingard to stay at Man Utd?
The Sun, however, states that new manager Erik ten hag could offer him the opportunity of a new deal.
For a Manchester United side that is supposed to be stepping into a new era, this would represent a distinctly sideways step. Lingard may play with his heart on his sleeve but his role in the team is indistinct. Does he feature as a No.10 or a winger? Is there even a position for him at the team given that – by Manchester United’s standards – he is relatively average in both.
Lingard has already shown that by going to a very good Premier League outfit such as West Ham, he can thrive when he is made a central part of a team. In 11 years at the club, he has rarely attained such a standing. Indeed, nearly a third of his 29 all-time Premier League goals were scored with the Hammers.
Sure, he could earn a good living kicking his heels on the Man Utd bench, but he would never express his full potential as a player.
At 29 years old, Lingard will never be more than a bit-part figure at Manchester United, and anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.
