Jesse Lingard is intent on leaving Manchester United this summer due to what he feels are too many broken promises by the club, believing it is pointless to see if things change under Erik ten Hag.
The 29-year-old is determined to work his way into England’s World Cup squad at the end of the year, and has interest from Newcastle United, AC Milan, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. Negotiations with two of the clubs are at an advanced stage.
While Ten Hag is prepared to give every player a chance, Lingard is unwilling to stick around because he feels he has been let down by United too many times. That stings the player all the more since he has been at the club since the age of nine, a point he made clear with a Tuesday-evening social media post of a photo from him at that age in United gear.
The latest source of frustration was that Ralf Rangnick left Lingard on the bench for the 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday evening, denying him one final home appearance at Old Trafford. The player had already turned down a loan move in the summer, because he had been assured by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he would be given more game-time. The Norwegian then only started Lingard in one game, a Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham United where he scored.
There was also an opportunity to move in January, when Newcastle initially attempted a loan deal, only for the move to fall apart when the Old Trafford club demanded a £2.5m loan fee and a £12.5m bonus if Eddie Howe’s side avoided relegation. Lingard felt this was unfair treatment as it effectively ensured the switch couldn’t happen for a loyal servant.
Since then, Rangnick has only started Lingard in three games. The latest decision to leave him on the bench, even as Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata - both out of contract in the summer, too - were brought on, led to Lingard’s brother Louie criticising the interim coach and the club as “classless”.
Lingard has played 232 times for the club and scored 35 goals, with one of them the winner in the 2016 FA Cup final - among the last three major trophies won by United.
His last appearance for England was in October’s 5-0 win away to Andorra, having previously come close to forcing his way into the Euro 2020 squad due to his supreme form at West Ham United.
Lingard feels he can do similar wherever he goes, and it is why he is now intent on leaving Old Trafford when his contract is up in the summer.
