The saga surrounding Jesse Lingard’s Manchester United future looks set to come to a head, with just days of the January window remaining.
It’s been a tale of broken promises and misguided optimism for Lingard, who returned from West Ham in the summer with the sole objective of playing regular football.
But five months into the season, the England international has played just 88 minutes and reports claim he is desperate to seal an exit.
Tottenham and West Ham are both believed to be interested in Lingard, although a move to Newcastle could still be on the cards.
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Read more: Rangnick facing Man Utd transfer headache as double loan conundrum emerges
United are reportedly reluctant to let him go, but should he do so, Ralf Rangnick has already identified the player that will directly replace him.
Anthony Elanga is the latest star to come off the famed United production line and he has already looked the part in fleeting appearances.
And while Rangnick replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done little for Lingard’s chances - it could prove to be a sliding doors moment in Elanga’s career.
Despite giving the Swede his professional debut last season, Solskjaer was reluctant to give him regular minutes and had planned to send him out on loan.
But his successor quickly nixed that plan, after observing the youngster’s immense talents before he had even physically met him.
“I must say, from the very first day of my first training session, he showed up," Rangnick said last week.
“l had heard his name before and I was in my hotel room watching videos of him on YouTube and I thought 'this boy is really good'.
“He was almost on his way out on loan. I told him 'You will not go out on loan, you will stay here' and he has developed in training.”
Elanga has now featured in the last five Premier League games, starting the last four and establishing himself as a starter - something Lingard had failed to do.
But should his more senior colleague remain at the club for the final five months of his contract, that won’t phase Elanga, who is ready to fight for his place at Old Trafford.
“If you put the work in, you’ll get rewards in games and that’s what I want to try and do every day; try to work hard and train the way I want to play,” Elanga explained.
“I love to start for this wonderful club and I want it to continue, but I’ve got to put the work in during training and then when I get the opportunity out on the pitch, take it.
“Competition is a good thing. If I'm not starting, someone else will be starting, and they'll be trying to push me out of the team, but it's all healthy competition.”
Fans had hoped that Rangnick’s arrival would signal a busy January window, but in Elanga, they may have a ready-made replacement right on their doorstep.
