Rio Ferdinand believes Jesse Lingard needs to turn the page on his Manchester United career and look to secure a permanent move to West Ham.
Lingard joined the Hammers on loan in January and has made a bright start to life under David Moyes in east London.
The England international spoke recently about not getting a fair crack under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford, but Ferdinand feels he has no chance of forcing his way back into the United side.
What was said?
"What's his ambition here, beyond this season," Ferdinand told BT Sport. "What is he looking to do?
"If West Ham don't put a bid in to buy him at the end of this loan I think this loan has to be seen as a failure.
"That's got to be his aim - to get a bid from West Ham and other clubs to take him out of Man Utd.
"Because I don't see him going back to Man Utd and really affecting that squad now.
"I think they've moved past him with the players they've recruited, he doesn't feature, hasn't done for so long.”
Does Lingard have a future at United?
Upon his departure, Solskjaer said he wanted Lingard to secure regular playing time at West Ham and return to Old Trafford with confidence restored and duly fight for a place in his side.
So, if Solskjaer is to be believed, the door remains open for Lingard. But the reality appears somewhat different.
There does not look to be a place for Lingard. Solskjaer has Bruno Fernandes as his playmaker, while Donny van de Beek is pushing for a chance and Paul Pogba can also operate in the attacking-midfield role if required. If he wants to operate on the flank, as he has been at West Ham, he would have to dislodge Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford.
Should Lingard return, he’d find himself well down the pecking order and feeding off scraps. At 28, he needs to be playing regularly and that does not look realistic in Manchester.
