Lingard: I love watching clips of Ronaldinho & Iniesta

Jesse Lingard is following advice to model his game on Spanish legend Andres Iniesta, and has also revealed he enjoys watching clips of Brazilian great Ronaldinho.

The Manchester United forward was likened to Barcelona great Iniesta - now playing in Japan for Vissel Kobe - when he first emerged as a serious Premier League proposition.

Sir Alex Ferguson's former Old Trafford No.2 Rene Meulensteen - who stepped down as Kerala Blasters boss in January - said: "I told him, 'You remind me of him and can be the English version'. Coming between the lines, picking the ball up, turning the back line, those smart runs he possesses. And now he scores goals, too."

That comparison may have raised eyebrows at the time, but the 25-year-old has established himself for club and country since, and still has an eye on midfield genius Iniesta for inspiration. 

Lingard may irk some with his light-hearted approach to life, but asked what he watches on YouTube when relaxing, he told Inside United: "Football videos and things like that, music videos as well. They are the main things I watch on there. Clips of Ronaldinho, clips of Iniesta, I love things like that."

The Warrington-born player - who went out on loan to Leicester, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby to stake his United claim - also follows the lead of non-footballing role models.

"I think there are good people around me at the moment and, obviously, there are people in different sports that I look up to," he added. "LeBron James is doing well with the Lakers."

And the United joker may even get serious and become a reader.

"I’m not really a book person, to be honest," he said. "Marcus [Rashford] is trying to get me into some, though. He reads books. I can’t remember what they are called, stuff about psychology. 

"Might be an interesting read!"

Lingard scored in both of England's last two games - against Croatia and the U.S. national team - after returning from injury earlier this season.

Ronaldinho, meanwhile, is having a less positive time.

The former Barcelona and Brazil star has had his passport seized by a court in his homeland over failure to pay a fine for building on an environmental protection area.