Ahead of what could be the most important transfer window of Neil Lennon's career, a lot of rumours are circling around Celtic. The reigning Premiership champions have been linked to a number of exciting players who could help keep the Irishman in a job.

However, despite now becoming desperate as his role at the club hangs in the balance, Lennon and co can't afford to sign any old player in order to fill gaps.

According to TEAMtalk, Celtic have been linked to out of favour Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard. The England international is reportedly looking for a move away from Old Trafford in January after struggling for game time this season. He is yet to play a Premier League match this campaign and has been limited to just two appearances in the EFL Cup (via Transfermarkt).

Whilst the attraction of a big international name might be tempting for Nick Hammond, the club must look at the bigger picture and snub their interest in Lingard.

Why Celtic must not sign Lingard

The 27-year-old's current contract is set to run out next summer and United will not want to take a loss on him. The likelihood is that both the player and club will come to an agreement where he will be allowed to leave in January for a reduced fee in order to entice interested parties in.

But for the Hoops, this isn't a deal they should be looking to sign off on. Despite his versatility to play on either wing as well as in the attacking midfield role, the man costing the Reds £90,000 per week has numbers that are no better than that of Lennon reject Tom Rogic.

Last season, Lingard tallied just four goals and two assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for Man United. Meanwhile, the Celtic midfielder bagged three goals and five assists in 17 less appearances.

Recruiting a player of a similar age and calibre would be pointless for Celtic who are pushing to better Rangers next season. Lingard is not a player the Hoops should be prioritising – they risk further stagnating their team if they don't expand their horizons and target more creative players.

In other news, Eddie Howe has been tipped as Neil Lennon’s Celtic successor...