Ralf Rangnick has delivered a blunt response confirming Jesse Lingard will be leaving Manchester United after two decades on the club's books.
Lingard, 29, joined United as a child and he has made 224 senior appearances since graduating from the academy ranks in 2014.
But the Englishman's time at Old Trafford appears to be ending in underwhelming fashion as he has not started a Premier League game all season.
He has less than six months remaining on his contract and a January transfer is yet to materialise despite interest from Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham.
The Magpies are desperate for mid-season additions but they are unwilling to meet the Red Devils' demands over a potential £20million loan deal to bring Lingard to St James' Park.
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Further, Manchester United chiefs will not allow the player to depart for Spurs or return to West Ham - where he flourished on loan last season - because they are viewed as rivals for Champions League qualification.
While it remains to be seen whether Lingard will be able to secure a winter exit, there is no chance he could perform a U-turn and stay put for the long term.
Rangnick was quizzed on the Three Lions star's future while signing autographs outside Old Trafford following last Saturday's 1-0 victory over West Ham.
In footage shared on Twitter, one fan pleaded with the German not to sell Lingard and he responded: "He will leave, he will leave in the summer anyway."
Rangnick's frank response leaves the door open to a January exit, but time is quickly running out for Lingard to find a new club ahead of Monday's deadline.
The player and his representatives are understood to be furious with the Old Trafford hierarchy for pricing him out of a move to Newcastle.
Eddie Howe's side are refusing to pay Lingard's £100,000-per-week wages, a loan fee of £6million and a potential Premier League survival bonus of £12million to get the deal over the line.
The two clubs will need to strike a compromise if the deal is to progress any further, but Rangnick was keen to distance himself from negotiations last week.
"With regard to Jesse, it's the same as with quite a few other players," he said ahead of the clash with West Ham. "He's a really good player, I see that in every training session.
"For me it's normal that other clubs like, for example, Newcastle show interest in him.
"I'm not the one who is dealing with that. I know there might be some interest from other clubs but if you ask me now what will happen in the next 10 days until the closure of the window, I can't answer that question I'm afraid."
