Former Premier League striker Charlie Austin believes that Jesse Lingard has lost a year of his career by staying at for this season.
Lingard looks set to leave United in the summer when his contract expires, ending a 22-year association with the club.
The attacking midfielder has won the , League Cup and with the Red Devils but has found game time limited in recent years, and even ended up going on a successful loan spell at last season, where he scored nine and assisted five in just 16 games for the Irons.
As a result, a move to East London was touted last summer but Lingard ended up staying at Old Trafford, where chances remained limited, with the 29-year-old starting just four matches across all competitions.
‘With Jesse Lingard, staying at Manchester United for the following year, I think he’s taken two or three steps back, I really do,’ Austin told .
‘His stock was so high at West Ham, every week goals or assists. He went there and really changed their season, his stock was so high.
‘Then he wants to go back to Manchester United and fight for his place and unfortunately, he just couldn’t get it right, and this year it’s not worked out and now you’re looking at it, what’s the possibilities for Jesse Lingard now?’
Despite his recent struggles, Lingard is still a highly-rated player and has remained heavily linked with a return to West Ham, as well as Newcastle who reportedly came close to signing him in January.
‘Now it’s time for him to have a clean break and I just felt like last year at West Ham that was the time for him to go,’ Austin added.
‘You’d have to say West Ham [as a destination], you’d have to put Newcastle in the mix. Every player that’s part of the top six that’s no longer wanted by their clubs, Newcastle’s name is going to pop up.’
Tensions between Lingard and United’s hierarchy have also risen recently after the player was denied one last appearance at Old Trafford, instead being left on the bench for the side’s 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night.
This decision has been widely criticised, not least by the .
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