A long summer now awaits Jesse Lingard – who was excluded from England’s Euro 2020 squad by Gareth Southgate. Now, Man United star has no obligation towards playing before (at least) August anymore and questions will be raised on his future.
West Ham United have already voiced their desire to sign him on a permanent basis. That isn’t surprising considering how he scored 9 goals and provided 4 assists in 16 appearances for them last season in the Premier League.
Even without the Hammers, many other clubs would be interested in signing the in-form Englishman. The Red Devils could opt to sell him to gain more money for their own transfers this summer. So will selling him be profitable or be a big loss for United? Let’s look.
PROS
Possibility of swap deal
Jesse’s excellent work at West Ham has now improved United’s asking ability when it comes to selling him. His value has definitely increased and now teams are genuinely into buying him. Due to a restricted summer budget, the Red Devils could aim to use him as a bargaining tool.
They could look to lower West Ham’s demands to sell Declan Rice by sending him the other way. A cash+swap deal could also be arranged to try and sign Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur – although even with a swap his price will be very high.
Lingard is currently wanted by many clubs in England and all around Europe. The Red Devils can use his popularity and make a profit for themselves by selling him as well as acquiring a quality player to fix the problems in their own squad.
Clear his wages off the books
A major problem to keeping Lingard at the club and then not playing him is United are basically wasting his wages. As per the Athletic, the Englishman is paid £100,000-a-week by the club – a formidable amount for any player.
United could instead look to sell him and free up that amount for someone else (maybe Cristiano Ronaldo?!). Irrespective, there’s no logic paying Lingard that much just for sitting on the bench for the majority of the games, and selling him could help United reduce their massive wage bill too.
Promote a talented youngster in his place
Upon returning to United, Lingard would also take up a place in the first-team squad that could be given to a youngster. He could end up limiting the opportunities for the likes of Shola Shoretire, Anthony Elanga, or Hannibal Mejbri next season.
In the cup games, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be compelled to start Lingard instead of giving the youngsters a chance as he did against Wolves or Leicester City. If United want to give more exposure to youngsters, they’ll have to let go off Lingard – especially if Solskjaer doesn’t intend on using the Englishman more regularly next season.
CONS
He’s in the best form of his career
The biggest risk about losing Lingard is just how well he’s performing right now. Since joining West Ham in late January, Lingard was involved in more PL goals than Bruno Fernandes was for United from February-May.
Now, that probably doesn’t mean he’ll dethrone Fernandes – but at least Jesse can keep him under pressure and make him more consistent! Losing a player in such impressive form can come back to haunt United because Lingard’s timely goals can help them win many big games next season.
Big game experience
Something Lingard also possesses unlike certain United youngsters is how to excel in the biggest of games. Who can forget him scoring the FA Cup winner for us in 2016? Or helping win the Carabao Cup in 2017?
Jesse has that tendency to come up with something special in against the top opponents. United had a poor ‘big-game record’ last season and needs a clinical player like Lingard in those games to find the match-winners. So if they sell him, they’ll miss on his big-game experience and have to hope the younger players are more composed in those games.
A genuinely beloved character in the dressing room
Regardless of how his performances might’ve been for Man United in recent years, Lingard remains a brilliant character within the squad. He’s just such a happy, bright character that he seems to cheer up everyone around him.
With his hilarious antics such as dressing up as an elf for Christmas, Jesse’s a man who everyone seems to love within the United squad. He is someone to keep up a happy mood in the dressing room during good or bad times. Upon selling him, the Red Devils would be losing out on a genuinely lovable character.
