Sheff Utd give themselves ‘genuine chance’ of landing Man Utd winger
Sheffield United think they are in a good position to sign Man Utd winger Jesse Lingard on loan until the end of the season, according to reports.
The 28-year-old, who was part of the England side that reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, has made just three appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season.
Lingard’s contract was due to expire in the summer but Man Utd have taken up the additional season built into that deal to keep him at the club until 2022.
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Lingard, who also plays as an attacking midfielder, has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford and Solskjaer recently revealed Lingard has had to self-isolate on more than one occasion recently.
“He’s been working hard in training,” the United boss said. “He’s been unfortunate with having to isolate a few times, been in contact, or close contact with Covid, not even having it himself.
“He’s been very unlucky being away from the training ground a few times. He works really hard.”
Sheffield United have already been credited with interest in Lingard with the Blades keen to take him on loan until the end of the current campaign.
The Athletic claimed on Monday that the England international ‘is reluctant to drop into a relegation battle and is happy to bide his time for alternative offers’.
However, the Sheffield Star now reckons Sheff Utd ‘believe they still have a genuine chance of signing’ Lingard in January with the Man Utd man ‘told that Bramall Lane could be the ideal place to relaunch his career’.
The local newspaper adds that Lingard ‘has been reassured by his advisors that joining Chris Wilder’s side would not prove an obstacle to securing a high-profile move away from Old Trafford at the end of the season’.
Wilder reckons Lingard ‘possesses both the talent and the experience to prolong United’s survival bid’ and club representatives are ‘thought to have met with Lingard and members of his inner-circle’.
Meanwhile, a report on Thursday said that Nice are also interested with Lingard’s agents reportedly holding talks with the French outfit over a potential loan move.