Jesse Lingard has a lucrative future in Italy waiting – with a Jose Mourinho reunion one of THREE Serie A options now tempting the out of favour Manchester United star.
The 29-year-old midfielder is out of contract this summer and is believed to have Premier League options on the table from West Ham and Newcastle. But former England star Lingard is attracted by an Italian job after seeing former Old Trafford team-mate Chris Smalling and England pal Tammy Abraham revive their careers with Roma.
Current League leaders AC Milan and Juventus are reported to be keen on Lingard while Mourinho remains an admirer of the star who thrived under him at Old Trafford. Lingard played the most games of his career at United in Mourinho's time at the club and credits the Special One for improving his game.
With even the biggest Serie A clubs strapped for cash, free agent Lingard is an attractive proposition despite seeing his club career nosedive in the last two years at United.
Lingard's international ambitions have also stalled but the attacking star will bag the biggest contract of his career this summer with reports suggesting he might pick-up in excess of £150,000-a-week with signing on fees.
Newcastle might be able to match that but it appears too rich for West Ham despite Lingard open to a return to the Hammers after his successful loan spell last season.
Lingard enjoyed his spell with the Hammers scoring nine goals in 16 games while on loan at the London Stadium to revitalise his flagging career. But boss David Moyes needs to commit more money for signings to keep Declan Rice at the club with a striker the big priority.
Lingard was recently pictured meeting former team-mate and current AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovich in the Italian fashion capital and is thought to have kept in touch with Smalling. The United midfielder is desperate to make a late run into Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad – and a switch to Italy could pave the way.
