West Ham coach Stuart Pearce has described the “utopia” the club would be in if Jesse Lingard returns before the transfer deadline.
A January move for the Manchester United midfielder is one of the Hammers’ priorities yet their top-four rivals are thought to prefer a deal with a club further down the table.
Newcastle have been strongly linked with Lingard, who is out of contract at Old Trafford in the summer and not in Ralf Rangnick’s immediate plans.
Wherever the 29-year-old ends up, Pearce will be pleased to see him getting regular game time with the West Ham man confident that his team will put themselves in the mix for his signature.
Pearce told talkSPORT: “There is no doubt that Jesse is a commodity, who isn’t playing for his football club, that could be a huge benefit to a lot of clubs in the Premier League.
“Ours is certainly one of them, there is no doubt. Everyone is aware that we tried to get Jesse back again last summer.
“That will continue, probably, in this window as well. But it’s down to Jesse. He’s got six months left on his contract. He’ll decide and Manchester United, more importantly, will decide what his future is for the next six months.
“I always feel as though it’s a real shame when a player of that talent is not playing regularly. Especially after his contribution when he joined us for six months and got himself back in the England fold. It’s helped Gareth [Southgate] as well.
“I’ll be delighted if he goes and plays, wherever he goes and plays. If he turns up at West Ham over the next three of four days, it’ll be utopia. If he goes and plays anywhere else in the Premier League, I’ll still be pleased to see him playing.”
