Manchester United ‘could use Jesse Lingard as makeweight in bid to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho’ with West Ham struggling to afford England star’s £100,000-a-week salary
- Jesse Lingard has scored nine goals for West Ham since joining them on loan
- But he may return to Man United with the Hammers struggling to afford him
- The Sun claim Borussia Dortmund are interested in the 28-year-old England star
- And they claim United may use that to help them sign forward Jadon Sancho
Manchester United could involve Jesse Lingard in a deal to bring Jadon Sancho to the club this summer, according to reports.
England star Lingard has scored nine goals in 13 Premier League appearances for West Ham since joining on loan in January, and has also provided four assists.
And The Sun claim Borussia Dortmund are keen on the 28-year-old, and add United could use that to their advantage to sign Lingard’s international team-mate Sancho from the Bundesliga giants.
Manchester United could involve Jesse Lingard (right) in a deal to sign Jadon Sancho (left), according to reports
Lingard has impressed on loan at West Ham as David Moyes’ men seek European qualification
However, the same outlet adds that Lingard’s salary demands of £100,000 per week could prove a stumbling block to any potential deal involving the German outfit.
It is a problem that the Hammers also face, after Sportsmail exclusively revealed at the beginning of the week that the east London club doubt they can find the funds to sign him on a permanent deal.
West Ham boss David Moyes is keen to sign Lingard on a permanent deal after helping the club in their push for European football next season.
But with West Ham’s income decimated by the pandemic, they are unable to commit to the player’s demands for a four-year contract worth in excess of £100,000 a week.
But they are struggling to afford him permanently, which could lead to him returning to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side
The club recorded losses of £65million last season and a bigger financial hit to follow for this campaign, making them understandably reluctant to commit significant resources to long-term contracts.
Qualification for the Champions League could slightly ease those woes, while a top-four finish for the Hammers would reportedly see Lingard earn his parent club a £500,000 bonus.
Meanwhile, a move for Sancho would see United reignite their interest in their No 1 target last summer.
Dortmund will reportedly demand a figure of around £100m for the 21-year-old forward this summer, though the inclusion of Lingard – who United value at £20m with just a year left on his Old Trafford deal – could bring that figure down.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc (right) revealed a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ has been struck to allow Sancho to leave
Sporting director Michael Zorc recently revealed a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ has been struck to allow Sancho to leave providing certain criteria are met.
‘We already had a gentleman’s agreement with Jadon last year that he can switch under certain conditions,’ Zorc told ARD.
The Bundesliga side are keen to raise as much money as possible if they sell Sancho, – who scored a brace in their German Cup final victory against RB Leipzig in midweek – with The Sun claiming they owe 15 per cent of the eventual fee to Manchester City.
Dortmund are also reportedly interested in Mason Greenwood, but Old Trafford chiefs are expected to reject any offer for their 19-year-old prized asset.
