While reports emerge of Jesse Lingard’s alleged willingness to hang about at Man United to try and force his way into Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer’s plans, Declan Rice has added fuel to rumours of a potential return to West Ham.
The Athletic have reported that Jesse Lingard is “minded to stay at Old Trafford and fight for his place” while there are widespread reports circulating that suggest the Hammers are unable to meet Man United’s £30m asking price.
But when the midfielder uploaded pictures to Instagram of himself back in pre-season training for the Red Devils, Declan Rice arrived in the comments with the comment “I see u.”
We know that both Rice and Lingard got on brilliantly during the second half of last season, with Lingard appearing in a bar wearing an England shirt with Rice’s name on the back for the Three Lions’ first Euro 2020 game against Croatia back in June.
Transfer insider Dean Jones has recently claimed that keeping Rice at West Ham this summer may be the key to bringing Lingard back on a permanent deal, although he did suggest that it wouldn’t be a make or break factor in a potential deal.
Rice’s comment under Lingard’s social media post cannot be seen as concrete evidence that Lingard will indeed return to east London this summer, but it will no doubt spark further speculation in the transfer columns as this saga continues to drag on over the summer.
