Shocking: This United Star faces January exit, Mourinho not happy at all
Sep 14, 2016 at 11:44 AM
Jesse Lingard may be headed out of Manchester United.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho isn’t exactly the world’s most patient boss. That could be bad news for Jesse Lingard. His poor Manchester Derby performance has him heading towards an exit from Old Trafford.
However, ESPN reported few days ago that Jesse Lingard is in advanced talks over a new deal. The same report also suggested United are keen to tie the 23-year-old, who scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace last season, to a new long-term contract.
In all fairness, it’s a little surprising that Mourinho put his initial trust in Lingard at all. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has some talent, but he isn’t the sexiest option on the United roster. In particular, when United splashed big-time cash on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, it didn’t seem to bode well for their homegrown product.
Still, Mourinho gave him an opportunity to shine on the biggest stage of them all on Saturday. The Special One made the surprising choice to start Lingard along with Mkhitaryan and Rooney in his attacking midfield three. Unfortunately, Lingard failed to do anything remotely resembling seizing the opportunity.
He was so poor in the first half against City, that Mourinho hauled him off in the 46th minute. It’s hard to imagine him getting another big opportunity for the club anytime soon. Given the other attacking talent on the roster, Lingard could easily find himself buried on the bench.
If that happens, expect United to receive quite a few bids for his services. He may not be the star United fans want to see in an attacking midfielder, but he is an industrious Premier League player. He could find a starting home at quite a few other clubs in England.
His age, ability, and homegrown status would make him a valuable transfer asset. It’s not out of the question that United could receive a transfer bid of around 20 million pounds for what amounts to an extra player at Old Trafford. That kind of cash could help Mourinho bring in a player who better fits his definition of a useful player.
Giving up on Jesse Lingard would be a mistake for Manchester United, but it wouldn’t be Jose Mourinho’s first transfer gaffe. The English attacker needs to turn things around soon if he wants to have a long-term future with Mourinho at Old Trafford.