West Ham United insider and reliable club source ExWHUemployee has shared an important update on the club potentially re-signing Jesse Lingard.
Who have West Ham signed?
David Moyes and the Hammers board moved to bring in Mexico international ace Edson Alvarez, former Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, defender Konstatinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus during the 2023 summer transfer window.
Both Alvarez and Ward-Prowse have made particularly bright starts to their careers at the London Stadium. The former has been lavished with praise by sections of the media, while the latter really should have been included in Gareth Southgate's England squad.
Going the other way, Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca, Nikola Vlasic, Arthur Masuaku, Manuel Lanzini, Mipo Odebuko and Armstrong Oko-Flex left West Ham, while promising young midfielder Flynn Downes joined Southampton on a season-long loan.
The Irons have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2023/2024 Premier League season, winning three out of their opening four league matches whilst remaining unbeaten prior to the international break.
Despite losing superstars like Rice over the summer, it has been a very promising start to this new campaign, and reports have suggested they could strengthen further by re-signing Lingard on a short-term deal.
Will West Ham sign Jesse Lingard?
The 30-year-old excelled during a 2021 loan spell at West Ham, bagging nine goals and four assists over 16 league appearances under Moyes.
Since being released by Nottingham Forest in the summer, Lingard has been without a club but is currently training with West Ham on a sort of trial basis.
The former Man United ace even featured for them during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town on Thursday, a match which also included the likes of Angelo Ogbonna, Danny Ings, Thilo Kehrer.
It finished 1-1 in the end with defender Aaron Cresswell getting on the scoresheet with a free-kick; while Ings apparently had a goal ruled out for offside.
That is according to club insider and behind-scenes source ExWHUemployee, who has shared an update on West Ham and Moyes potentially re-signing Lingard on a Bosman.
He says the midfielder impressed in "flashes" during the draw with Ipswich, but fitness concerns continue to surround Lingard who quite simply needs to build himself back up to match sharpness.
The current feeling is that the player will still be offered a short-term contract, but not until he is fully fit and firing again.
“Jesse Lingard played for approximately 75 minutes and was good in flashes but apparently faded towards the end with his fitness still needing work,” stated Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon (via West Ham Way).
“A final decision is still to be made on his future and it is not known whether this game will have any baring. Our source, as we said above, said he was good in parts but didn’t have a huge impact and did get subbed off.
“The feeling is still he will be given a short term contract at the club but this won’t be issued until he is fully fit but this is still waiting confirmation and isn't a done deal.”
It will be very interesting to see if Lingard does indeed finally get a second spell with the club he thrived it two years ago.