Jesse Lingard’s proposed Manchester United loan exit has rumbled on throughout the January transfer window.
It was late last January that United decided to loan him to West Ham, and his future will be decided even later this time around.
He looked all set for Newcastle, before United’s demands of £12 million if the Magpies survived scuppered any hopes.
But the Athletic report that a potential deal is not dead on the final day of the transfer window.
They report that Lingard has held talks with Ralf Rangnick to make one final attempt to try and make the move to the north east.
The German has given his blessing – which he did before – but whether he actually goes depends on decision makers higher up the club.
The report suggests United could be flexible with their demands for that survival bonus, which would appear to be the only stumbling block to any deal.
Personal terms are expected to be a formality if the rest of the deal can get sorted, and Lingard could yet move today.
We have already written about why it is time for United to let Lingard leave this month.
Given he has only six months left on his contract, Lingard leaving on loan would essentially signal the end of his United career.
He needs that fresh start, not least to reignite his England hopes ahead of the 2022 World Cup in the winter in Qatar.
United are not going to use him, and the manager has said he is happy for him to leave. There is no real logic in United making financial demands which block his proposed exit.
That said, the club have not made logical transfers choices on many occasions in recent years, and it remains to be seen how this one plays out.
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