West Ham have not been in contact with Manchester United about signing Jesse Lingard on a permanent basis, according to reports in England.

It is a somewhat surprising development considering the 28-year-old’s excellent form for the Hammers, and the fact that he could well be sold for just £15m due to his contract situation.

Whether David Moyes’ side will enter talks over a deal for Lingard in the coming weeks, we shall have to wait and see, but it appears the Red Devils may be moving towards keeping the player.

The England international is still highly rated at Old Trafford and there is a possibility that he could be given a chance to reclaim his place in the Manchester club’s first team next season.

However, West Ham and other interested clubs, such as Arsenal, know that United will need to sell if they can’t get Lingard to sign a new deal, so it may be the case of simply being patient.