Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard will go ‘nowhere near’ Arsenal this summer window and would prefer to stay at West Ham United.
That’s according to former Red devils captain Rio Ferdinand, who believes Arsenal fans wouldn’t accept Lingard at the club given his history with the fanbase.
Lingard has already scored eight goals and provided three assists in nine matches on loan with West Ham, earning the midfielder a recall for the latest England squad.
David Moyes is desperate to sign Lingard but the interest in the player has hugely increased in recent weeks, with Real Madrid, PSG and Inter Milan believed to be keeping an eye on him.
Arsenal have also been linked with a transfer move for Lingard, particularly as there are huge doubts over Martin Odegaard’s future at the Emirates.
But Ferdinand believes there’s little chance of Lingard signing for Arsenal, as supporters wouldn’t forgive him for the way he mocked them in the past.
When quizzed about Arsenal’s interest in Lingard, Ferdinand told FIVE YouTube channel: ‘Yeah but you know what they [Arsenal fans] wouldn’t have him there.
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‘The way he moonwalked off that pitch once, they wouldn’t have it. The fans would rip the place apart. He disrespected the Emirates in a way that hadn’t been seen.
‘Listen West Ham will have a fight to get him by the way because I think other teams are going to be like: ‘Listen, we want him!’ ‘He’s not going to go to Arsenal over West Ham, obviously but there will be other teams. He ain’t going nowhere near Arsenal.’
United are willing to sell Lingard and value the midfielder at around £30m. Reports last week emerged that they could use Lingard as a makeweight in a deal to sign Declan Rice from West Ham.
But, Lingard’s representatives have reportedly warned United he will not be used in any part-exchange for Rice and will make a decision on his future.
