Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard will go ‘nowhere near’ Arsenal this summer and would prefer to stay at West Ham than join the Gunners.
That’s the view of former United skipper Rio Ferdinand, who believes Arsenal supporters wouldn’t accept Lingard at the club given his history with the fanbase.
Lingard has scored eight goals and provided three assists in nine appearances on loan with the Hammers, earning the midfielder an England recall for the latest Three Lions squad.
David Moyes is desperate to sign Lingard but the interest in the playmaker has hugely increased in recent weeks, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan said to be keeping an eye on the midfielder.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Lingard, particularly as there are doubts over Martin Odegaard’s long-term future at the Emirates.
But Ferdinand believes there’s little chance of Lingard ending up with the Gunners, as supporters wouldn’t forgive him for the way in which he’s mocked them in the past.
Asked about Arsenal’s interest in Lingard, Ferdinand told FIVE YouTube channel: ‘Yeah but you know what they [Arsenal fans] wouldn’t have him there.
‘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 open to selling Lingard and value the midfielder at around £30m.
Reports last week claimed the Red Devils could use Lingard as a makeweight in a deal to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.
However, Lingard’s representatives have warned United he will not be used in a part-exchange for Rice and will make a decision on his own future.
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