Graeme Souness reckons Jesse Lingard would feature for Manchester United this season amid hinting that the Old Trafford side have made a transfer mistake.
After finishing sixth in the Premier League last term, United appointed Erik ten Hag as manager before snapping-up Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez to start their much-needed rebuild. Further targets remain on the radar including Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona.
Incomings were not the only focus for United, though, as several senior players including Lingard departed on free transfers when their contracts expired in the summer. He went to Nottingham Forest as Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic also opted for new challenges across Europe.
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Lingard, 29, raised eyebrows when signing for the Premier League newcomers and has made two appearances for his new club. United, meanwhile, have endured a disastrous start to this first campaign under Ten Hag with back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Brentford.
Speaking on radio station talkSPORT, former Liverpool midfielder Souness said: "His contract has ended and he can choose what he wants to do. Is it because it is still near Manchester?
"I hear that he has got business interests, whatever they might be... Could he commute for two hours a day? Maybe slightly more with traffic. It suited him."
Souness added: "A question for you. Does he get into the Manchester United team right now? I think he does."
Lingard spent more than 20 years at Old Trafford after progressing through their famed Academy system. He played 232 games for United in all competitions, scoring 35 goals and providing 21 assists, but he was seldom used by either Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Rangnick last season.
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