Roy Keane has claimed Jesse Lingard is at fault for the growing levels of resentment between him and Manchester United.
Lingard was widely expected to leave both in the summer and in January, but on both occasions has remained with the club he has spent more than 20 years with.
The 29-year-old opted to remain at Old Trafford ahead of the new season, despite enjoying a galvanising loan spell at West Ham in the second half of last term.
Many expected him to join the Hammers permanently, but a combination of a prohibitively high price-tag and promises from then boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he decided to stick around.
Those assurances have failed to bear fruit, with the England international playing just 88 minutes in the Premier League all season.
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Reports suggested that Lingard felt he was misled by the former United boss, but his prospects haven’t been any more positive under his replacement Ralf Rangnick.
His continued exclusion looked set to pave the way for a January loan move, a deal which would take him up to the end of his Manchester United contract.
However, after initially being told he would be granted his wish, a deadline day move was blocked due to Mason Greenwood’s absence from the squad.
“Three weeks ago, Jesse didn't want to leave, then he changed his mind,” Rangnick explained earlier this week. “I had a chat with him 10 days ago and I could fully understand why he wanted to leave, to get game time for his future and the World Cup.
“I told him if he finds a club and the club find a solution with our club, I would allow him to leave, then with all the developments, things changed.”
The German interim boss then confirmed that Lingard would not be available for selection for Friday night’s FA Cup clash with Middlesbrough, adding that the player had asked for time to “clear his mind”.
Lingard quickly refuted those claims on social media, with his absence contributing to the Red Devils crashing out of the cup at the hands of the Championship side.
But former United skipper Keane had little sympathy with the academy graduate and told ITV Sport that the situation has come about after he spurned an opportunity to leave in 2021.
"He should have gone last summer, end of story," Keane said. "He had his chance. He played some games, proved what he is about, went to West Ham and got a run, having not played much football.
"People get bogged down by contract talk. He wants to leave, he wants to leave on a free but you have to play the games.
"He can complain all he wants, it is not ideal between Jesse and the club at the moment.
"Last summer was his opportunity, he should have taken it."
Speaking after Boro won a memorable penalty shootout 8-7, Rangnick suggested that he wanted Lingard in the squad, stating it made no sense for him to leave the forward out.
“With Jesse, I told you what my information was and my knowledge was, and of course, I would have loved to have had Jesse in the squad,” he explained. "We were one outfield player less on the teamsheet today, so why would I have allowed him to have four or five days off?
“I would have loved to have had him in the squad but it was not the case and therefore, it doesn't make sense to speak about players who were not available."
