Manchester United have not been in action since the last weekend and they will not be playing next week either. After their last two matches have been postponed, the Red Devils are set to have a 16-day long Premier League hiatus, following the COVID-19 outbreak in the squad. First, it was the Tuesday night match at Brentford’s that was cancelled, before the match against Brighton was expected to happen this Saturday. But on Thursday, it was confirmed United will not feature in that match either, with their next game coming on 27 December away at Newcastle United. This period without matches has given us the time to reflect on other areas. In recent days, we looked at which players Man United could potentially sign on a free transfer next year and we also took a look at the Red Devils that could leave the club this January.
One of them is Edinson Cavani, who is wanted by Barcelona, while the other one is Anthony Martial. But amongst them, there is also the case of Jesse Lingard, the 29-year-old Englishman who seems eager to leave the club in January transfer window. It is no wonder that is the case, but he is the one player of these three with which Man United made a mistake.
Man United Are Not Playing Jesse Lingard
Jesse Lingard has made 12 appearances for Manchester United this season in three different competitions, but he accumulated mere 267 minutes on the pitch. He scored twice in the Premier League, against Newcastle and West Ham, but he played just 87 minutes in total. He also made three appearances in the Champions League and one in the League Cup loss to West Ham.
But this season is not like any other – this season is the one that precedes the 2022 FIFA World Cup. And Lingard wants to be there. It is no wonder then that the Englishman wants to leave Old Trafford. This is the club he joined in 2000 as a boy, but right now, staying at Man United will only hinder his chances of making the Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar.
The Club Should Have Sold Him In The Summer
Last season was a brilliant one for Lingard, at least the second half of it. He was in a similar situation – EURO 2020 was around the corner and he left on loan to West Ham, where he played 16 Premier League games in 2021. He scored nine goals, added five assists, was one of the best in-form players in the league, although he did not get into Southgate’s squad.
But his performances at West Ham were the ideal opportunity for United to sell Lingard. The club and then manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to keep him, but United already had plenty of options in his position and Lingard was never likely to get many opportunities. The player ultimately lost these six months of getting chances to play regularly elsewhere and his market price could be lower, especially with January transfer window rarely being as lucrative as the summer moves. Nothing was gained from keeping him around, as Lingard is still eager to leave.
Manchester United will now be more keen to letting him go. The player himself deserved that if he is already not feeling as being at the right place.
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