West Ham United have been handed a major setback in their attempts to sign Jesse Lingard permanently as his parent club are now apparently happy to keep hold of him for next season.

What's the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the 28-year-old midfielder could be set to sign a new contract at Manchester United after holding talks with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and if he does, that will all but end the Irons' hopes of securing him this summer.

"Whilst this story could drag on for most of the summer, at this point it appears that whilst we have interest, it will be hard for us to convince Manchester United to sell him and that they could be preparing a new contract for him.

"Ole has spoken to the player and has said he is prepared to give him a chance to prove himself, which Lingard is set to be keen on.  His heart has always been torn but following discussions, it does appear that Ole is prepared to give him another chance to prove himself.

"There are a number of clubs circulating as well but it seems at the moment that his most likely destination is to remain at the club."

Ex has previously described Lingard as David Moyes' "main target" and claimed that the player himself "loves West Ham," so this saga is by no means over but if he does sign a new deal, then that would obviosuly indicate that he plans to stay in Manchester.

Devastating news

The £20m-rated dynamo is currently earning around £75k-per-week in Manchester and it is thought that the East Londoners would struggle to commit to his wage demands of £100k-per-week, as per the Daily Mail.

Which is merely another complication in their attempts to bring him back.

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He is someone that Moyes is evidently desperate to keep hold of as speakin to reporters after their final game of the season.

"I hope Jesse’s here, we’d like to keep him, he’s done an exceptional job for us but there’s no guarantees, he’s not our player,” Moyes said, via the Evening Standard. "But I hope Jesse realises we’ve been good for him as well, and that he joined a club on the up." It's also no secret how bad the London Stadium faithful want Lingard back as they were seen going wild over him arriving for England duty with a West Ham themed bag. The 28-year-old playmaker provided nine goals and four assists as he finished the 2020/21 campaign as Moyes' second-highest rated player, as per WhoScored. Without him, Moyes has a lack of options in the creative no.10 role - or at least, those that he does have at his disposal are far from the quality of Lingard. It remains to be seen exactly what this all means Red Devils outcast but either way, it's looking like he's got his heart set on staying at Old Trafford rather than moving to the London Stadium.

AND in other news, Moyes could sign the Irons their next Jermain Defoe in "very dangerous" £18m-rated gem...