Could Lingard's revival at West Ham save Man Utd career?

When Jesse Lingard joined West Ham on loan in January, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set him a challenge, to go there and show how good he can be.

It didn’t take the 28-year-old long to fulfil his manager’s demands.

Lingard netted a brace on his Premier League debut for the Hammers, against Aston Villa, and has added two more goals over five subsequent outings, as well as contributing a couple of assists.

“I am playing each game with a smile and enjoying my football and that is the most important thing,” Lingard recently told BBC Sport.

This is a deal that is clearly working out well for everyone involved. 

Solskjaer was initially reluctant to let Lingard leave but the player was desperate to secure first-team football in order to stake a late claim for a place in the England squad for this summer's European Championship.

Of course, despite his fine form, he still might not make the cut. Gareth Southgate has a multitude of options in his Lingard's favoured position, with Jack Grealish, James Maddison, Mason Mount and Phil Foden all battling for attacking midfield roles.

Still, even if Lingard fails in his mission to secure an international recall, this loan move won't have proved a waste of time. Far from it. At the very least, Lingard has revived a career that had stalled.

His stock was at an all-time low in January, having made just three appearances for United during the first half of the season. This loan move, then, has proven a lifeline. And United couldn't be happier with how it's worked out.

They didn't include a buy-out clause in the loan agreement because their hope was that Lingard's value would increase with regular game time. Things couldn't be going much better in that regard, with Lingard playing a pivotal role in West Ham's surprise push for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

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He is posting his best numbers for four seasons. His goals-to-minute ratio, volume of shots (on and off target) and conversion rate are all up, so it's hardly surprising that Moyes is hoping that West Ham can make the deal permanent at the end of the season. 

Given Lingard's form and happiness, he would clearly entertain the idea of remaining at London Stadium.

However, the sticking point could well be the fee, as United will not be prepared to let the academy graduate go for cheap.

So, if West Ham are priced out of a transfer, could Lingard end up staying at Old Trafford?

Solskjaer said as Lingard left that he wanted the Warrington native to go out on loan but "come back here revitalised". He is certainly buzzing at the moment but would he really be required at United next season?

Lingard is prohibited from playing against his parent club this weekend but, ahead of the game at Old Trafford, Solskjaer said: “For Jesse, it’s really worked out. For David, it’s really worked out. And for us as a club, it's really worked out, because we know that Jesse’s position is No.10 and we have got Bruno (Fernandes) there, so for me it was a no-brainer to get Jesse a chance to prove himself and play some football again.

"He has been really bright for them and he is finally back to himself.”

But it's not as if his fine form has boosted his chances of taking Fernandes' starting spot. The Portugal international has been key to United's revival over the past year and isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

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It's no coincidence that Lingard wasn't given a single league start for United following Fernandes' debut against Wolves last year. The latter remains one of the first names on the team sheet, as underlined by the fact that he has started 37 of United's 44 games this season. 

Lingard has already proven at West Ham that he still has plenty to offer at the highest level as he enters his peak years. At the very least, his form will have caught Southgate's attention.

But it seems highly unlikely that he is capable of doing enough to convince Solskjaer that he would be a better option behind his centre-forward than Fernandes.

He would obviously make for a decent understudy but even the competition for reserve roles at United is intense. Look at Donny van de Beek: the former Ajax ace has barely got a look in since joining before the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

So, if Lingard returns, is he really likely to have moved ahead of the Dutchman in the pecking order? 

Solskjaer likes Lingard and will continue to sing his praises. But given the system he plays, and quality of the personnel at his disposal, there is little chance of Lingard forcing his way back into the first-team set-up at Old Trafford, no matter how well he continues to perform at West Ham.

So, if a deal can be done with West Ham, Lingard should embrace a transfer with open arms. Given his age, next year’s World Cup is likely to be his last chance to play on the game's grandest stage. 

Difficult as it might be, he would be better served cutting his ties with his childhood club to give himself the very best chance of making Southgate's squad for Qatar. 

Leaving United is never an easy decision for any player, particularly an academy graduate, but it would be the right call for Lingard and his England prospects.