LINGARD SWOOP
West Ham chase Jesse, but United want £30m for renaissance man
WEST Ham will launch a bid to turn Jesse Lingard’s loan into a permanent move — but fear manchester United will demand a premium price for the England forward.
There is optimism at the London Stadium that they can pull off a successful swoop for Lingard, who has been a revelation since joining the club on loan from United in January.
The 28-year- old has enjoyed his loan spell in London and West Ham are encouraged that he will give serious consideration to staying beyond this season. Lingard in the has Hammers’ been instrumental nstruers’ unexpected tilt at a top-four finish, scoring - six goals in eight games and assisting three times.
His displays have earned him ann England recall, withh Lingard (right) a serious eripart of contender to be part Gareth Southgate’s European Championship squad.
No formal talks over a permanent move have taken place between the Hammers and United but the London club are keen to address the issue before the end of the season.
However, there are concerns over the price United will put on Lingard given his brilliant recent performances.
West Ham did not secure an option to buy when negotiating their loan deal, so they are at the mercy of United when it comes to valuation.
There is likely to be interest in Lingard from other clubs, which further complicates West Ham’s pursuit.
Wolves, Tottenham, Newcastle and arsenal were among the clubs that considered moves for him in January, and now others have been alerted by his outstanding displays.
The United academy graduate will enter the final 12 months of his contract this summer and there seems little hope of him extending his deal at Old Trafford, meaning the club will look to sell to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
But United are still expected to ask for a significant sum — as much as £ 30million — and will be confident of sparking a bidding war given Lingard’s breathtaking resurgence this season.
meanwhile, West Ham will sign Craig Dawson permanently for £ 2m after a clause in hish contract was triggeredtrig by his 15th PremierPr League start in the win against WolvesW on monday.
Dawson joined on a season-selong loan from ChampionshipCh club WatfordWat and has played a keyk part in the HammeHammers’ push for Europe. The 30-year- old’s deal with West Ham will run until the summer of 2023.
Dawson said: ‘Coming to West Ham has been a great move for myself, and it is a privilege to play for a club with such rooted traditions. The squad have a real togetherness, team spirit and great quality.
‘I’m excited for what my future at the club may hold and the potential for what we can go on to achieve.’
manager David moyes added: ‘Craig’s performances, attitude and the impact he has had demonstrate why he deserves a permanent deal. He arrived with a wealth of Premier League experience and that’s been really important to us.’