Why Lingard joining West Ham is a great deal for everyone...

Despite a fairly quiet January window in the Premier League, one deal we should be raving about is the loan signing which saw Jesse Lingard swap Manchester United for West Ham United.

Why is it good for West Ham?

West Ham have found themselves 5th in the Premier League following a stellar first half of the season from David Moyes' plucky, never-say-die side. Needless to say, a huge part of their success is down to the excellent signings of Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen and the brilliant Tomas Soucek over the past year.

West Ham made the signing of former Slavia Prague midfielder Tomas Soucek permanent in the summer, and have continued their good business by signing Jesse Lingard on loan.

West Ham have continued their great business by signing Jesse Lingard, in what is a very low-risk deal. David Moyes has managed to sign a player of considerable international experience (24 caps for England so far, including an impressive 2018 World Cup campaign) for half a season for £1.5 million, plus wages.

This seems a no-brainer from a Hammers perspective - if he doesn't work out, Lingard will return to Old Trafford with no blushes for West Ham. That point of view is a negative one - if it works out, the Manchester United forward could help Moyes' side to continue their good form.

Lingard brings highly-valued international experience to West Ham.

Lingard could offer something that West Ham haven't had since they sold Marko Arnautovic - consistent quality and versatility. Whilst I have already conceded that Benrahma and Bowen offer quality, I think Lingard can bring a bit more experience and consistency - two things Moyes' Everton side were known for.

On top of this, Lingard can play across the front line, making him a very attractive option for the Hammers. Some may question the fact that it is a six-month deal, but good January signings can often inspire a side to finish strong (you need look no further than Bruno Fernandes for evidence of that).

Why is good for Manchester United?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spent this January getting unwanted players off of the wage bill - Marcos Rojo looks set to re-join Boca Juniors imminently and the departures of Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Odion Ighalo have already been confirmed. This deal is another step towards trimming the expensive fat that has built up at United since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Lingard, whilst popular amongst players and coaches alike, simply has not played enough football at Manchester United to justify his reported £100k-per-week wages. Therefore, from a footballing point of view, it makes sense to loan him out to a Premier League that guarantees him game time.

Lingard saw his one-year extension clause triggered by the club just weeks before his loan move to West Ham was confirmed, in order to avoid losing Lingard on a free transfer.

United could benefit in one of two ways should his loan spell be successful - by seeing the triumphant return of Jesse restored to his former glory, or by seeing the potential to cash-in should West Ham (or any other Premier League club) look to make the deal a permanent one.

From a financial standpoint, United have taken £1.5 million in wages off of their bill, as well as taking a £1.5 million loan fee. The deal stands at a total of £3 million for United, which, for a player that hasn't had a look in, is great business (something that has not been often associated with Manchester United).

Jesse Lingard made just three appearances for Manchester United this season, all of which came in cup competitions, before singing for West Ham on loan.

Why is it good for Jesse Lingard?

This move needed to happen for Lingard, but he can take a great many positives out of the past few weeks. Despite only playing three times this season, Lingard attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs, including West Brom, Newcastle and Sheffield United, before eventually deciding on West Ham.

This will be a huge boost of confidence for Jesse, who is in desperate need of it. Make no mistake, this six months will be the most important of his career - he could make a real statement, and, as above, could reinstate his position as a Manchester United first-teamer, or put himself in the shop window for other Premier League teams.

Even if he doesn't set the world alight, given the interest he has attracted, Lingard could walk into a few Premier League sides, just perhaps a little lower down the table than he would like.

Despite the deal not including an option to buy, Lingard could put himself in the shop window for the summer transfer window should his services no longer be required at Old Trafford.

This is a really brave step for Lingard - you can tell Solskjaer had a hand in overseeing this deal as he is very close with the former England international. But, as this article has (hopefully) put forward, I expect this deal to work out for all parties - and I wish them all every success.

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