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Newcastle United have reportedly dropped out of the race to sign Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard. The 29-year-old's contract is set to expire at the end of the season, making him a free agent this summer.
According to the Telegraph, the Magpies are unwilling to meet Lingard's contract demands. The England international is believed to be demanding a £150,000 per week deal and a huge signing-on fee. That would make him the highest earner at Newcastle. Eddie Howe's side, though, are reluctant to offer such terms to a player who is set to turn 30 this year and has not seen much game time this season.
Lingard caught the attention of many clubs, thanks to his performances for West Ham last season. He spent the second half of the 2020-21 campaign on loan with the Hammers, scoring nine goals and four assists in 16 league games.
He returned to Old Trafford last summer and opted to stay at United to fight for a place in the starting lineup. Lingard, though, was starved of regular playing time during the first half of the season. Newcastle were heavily linked with a loan move for the midfielder in January, but, as per The Mirror, they were reluctant to meet the Red Devils' £16 million loan fee demand .
Lingard has made just 22 appearances for United across competitions this season, most of which were as a second-half substitute. He is therefore expected to run down his contract with the club and become a free agent.
Newcastle were expected to reignite their interest in the 29-year-old, but his wage demands have led them to reconsider their pursuit of the midfielder. Furthermore, the club is also keen to decrease their average age. The Magpies signed Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Dan Burn in January, all of whom are in their thirties.
Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard could prefer Serie A move
According to The Mirror, AC Milan, Juventus and AS Roma are interested in signing Jesse Lingard this summer.
The 29-year-old Manchester United player could be open to the prospect of making the move to Italy, as many English players have resurrected their careers in Serie A over the years. Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori have thrived in the Italian league and are in contention for a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Lingard could prefer a move to AS Roma, where he would reunite with his former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. The midfielder played some of his best football under the Portuguese tactician.
