What is going at Manchester United? For the second time in 2022, the club’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick, and a wantaway forward have conflicting stories about what’s really going on.
Before being loaned out to Sevilla, Anthony Martial told a different story about why he missed the match at Aston Villa than Rangnick did. Now we have differing accounts of what happened and what is happening with Jesse Lingard, who won’t be in the team for tonight’s FA Cup 4th round clash against Middlesbrough.
The club advised me to have time off due to personal reasons! But my headspace is clear and I’ll always be professional when called upon and give 100 percent
— Jesse Lingard (@JesseLingard) February 3, 2022
United vs Middlesbrough Preview Material: United Starting XI Prediction United Team News
As you can see above, Lingard posted on Twitter: “The club advised me to have time off due to personal reasons. But my headspace is clear and I’ll always be professional when called upon and give 100 percent.”
Meanwhile Rangnick said in a news conference yesterday that Lingard had asked for a break to “clear his mind” after the transfer he wanted to Newcastle United collapsed on January transfer window deadline day.
So who is telling the truth here? And did we even get the truth about how and why he didn’t move to St. James’ Park?
It’s been widely reported that Newcastle wouldn’t meet United’s demand for a £12 million Premier League survival bonus. West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur both made offers, but were rejected because they are considered opposition in the race for top four.
Meanwhile it was thought that United could have gotten £20 million for Lingard back in the summer.
Now instead the 29-year-old will be out of contract in the summer, and the club will get nothing for him when he walks away on a Bosman transfer. Lingard has started just two games for United so far in the 2021-22 season.
Rangnick said Mason Greenwood’s indefinite suspension played a part in the club’s decision to block Jesse Lingard’s sought after move to Newcastle on deadline day.
“Three weeks ago Jesse didn’t want to leave, then he changed his mind,” Rangnick said.
“I had a chat with him 10 days ago and I could fully understand why he wanted to leave to get game time for his future and the World Cup and I told him if he finds a club and the club find a solution with our club I would allow him to leave.
“The board told me they couldn’t find an agreement with any clubs interested in him.
“With the window closing Monday evening, the board informed me they would rather he stay. We had a problem with Mason Greenwood, being without a player for the time being and the club not finding an agreement with another club.”
Regarding Greenwood, yeah you can say they have a “problem” there. The 20-year-old England forward has now been released on bond, after having allegedly raped, assaulted and threatened to kill his girlfriend.
He likely won’t ever play for United again, as the club have removed all Greenwood merchandise from their website.
His absence opens up a spot in attack, as does the departure of Martial. Now there will be new opportunities for Lingard, as well as Jadon Sancho, Anthony Elanga, and more to step up carpe diem in the final third.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.