West Ham are expected to announce the signing of Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United today (Friday), talkSPORT understands.
Lingard has been looking for a move elsewhere having made just three appearances for his boyhood club all season.
The 28-year-old had been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Sheffield United, as well as a host of European clubs.
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But it appears he’s chosen West Ham, with the Hammers and the Red Devils agreeing a deal in principle for Lingard to join on loan.
It’s understood West Ham are paying a loan fee and the England international’s wages for the rest of the 2020/21 season.
Lingard could do his parent club a favour if he makes his West Ham debut on Sunday as they take on Man United’s title rivals Liverpool at the London Stadium.
Lingard is looking to boost his chances of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020 by playing regular first-team football in east London.
But talkSPORT’s Darren Bent issued a warning to the Man United man.
“West Ham are certainly a team on the up, so it does make a lot of sense,” said former Tottenham striker Bent on Tuesday’s talkSPORT Breakfast.
“But what he doesn’t want to do is go from one person’s bench to another. That’s what you don’t need because then there’s no point of going out on loan.
“He needs to go somewhere where he is going to play week in, week out. Of course, we know there is a difference in the size of clubs, Man United and West Ham.
“But West Ham are a team in great form, they’ve got a good manager; I really like the squad he’s building there with Jarrod Bowen, [Michail] Antonio, [Tomas] Soucek.
“Jesse could fit in well there, but as I’m saying he can’t go somewhere else and not play any games because that would be the worst thing for him.
“And then what happens to him? He can’t go back to United, he doesn’t play at West Ham, the only way is down after that, unfortunately.”
It didn’t look like the loan move was going to happen as West Ham already had already used up their two domestic loans for the season.
However, an extra space opened up after the Hammers completed the signing of Said Benrahma from Brentford for £25million, having initially signed him on a season-long loan.
