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West Ham insider ExWHUemployee claims people within the club feel Jesse Lingard is on the verge of returning to West Ham.

It was reported on Monday that the midfielder had made his mind up regarding the club he wants to sign for this summer, after being released from Man United at the end of June.

David Moyes has been trying to bring him back to east London for the last 18 months following the 29-year-old’s successful loan spell when he scored 16 goals and assisted a further five in 16 Premier League appearances.

And now, despite reported interest from Newcastle United, AC Milan and a number of clubs in the MLS, it appears Lingard has opted for a move back to the capital to finish what he started in the second-half of the 2020/2021 campaign.

Ex said on the West Ham Way Podcast: “Over the weekend, I spoke to a couple of people in the club not based in transfers, but based in important positions within the club – and all of them said to me that they felt that he was on the way.

“One even said to me that it was all but agreed.

“Now, I don’t want to say that just yet, until the fella is at West Ham with a pen in his hand about to sign the contract, because I just don’t trust him and his judgement.

“I have heard that West Ham are, at the moment, his preferred option, and I had heard that it was very close.”

It’s not yet known what personal terms West Ham offered Lingard but his return will add further depth to an attacking line David Moyes is paying particular attention to this summer.

Reports elsewhere claim the Hammers are on the verge of securing the signing of Chelsea striker Armando Broja and also have a bid in for Sassuolo forward Gianluca Scamacca.

With four competitions to compete across in 22/23, Moyes is making a wise move by padding out his squad and adding depth in key areas across the pitch.

Last season, the Hammers played over 50 games across all competitions and ultimately ran out of steam towards the end of the campaign, failing to secure a top-six Premier League finish on the final day of the season and losing in the Europa League semi-final to Eintracht Frankfurt.