EXCLUSIVE
deal close
West Ham appear to have won the race to sign Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United but there's one more obstacle the Hammers must beat.
Lingard is keen on a move away from Old Trafford having made just three appearances for his boyhood club all season.
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A number of clubs across the Premier League and Europe were understood to be monitoring Lingard this month but the Hammers have emerged as front runners to sign him.
Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared reluctant to let Lingard leave through fear of having too thin a squad after the transfer window ends.
talkSPORT's Alex Crook says that Lingard has managed to persuade Solskjaer to let him leave and now the east London side look ready to sign him on a six-month loan with potential for a permanent deal in the summer.
But there's one more issue that stands in the way of West Ham...
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Crook explains: "When we spoke last week about this there was a reluctance from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to let him go out on loan, they’ve held talks, Lingard has said, 'look, I’m not getting any minutes here, please let me go and play some football'.
"And it looks like Solskjaer will answer that plea.
"West Ham are very much in the box seat now to Jesse Lingard and they’re looking at a six-month loan.
"The complication with this one is that they already have two domestic loans, which is the maximum you’re allowed under Premier League rules - Craig Dawson and Said Benrahma.
"The most likely outcome is West Ham sign Dawson from Watford permanently to free up the slot for Lingard.
"They will have to pay a loan fee and there could be the option of a permanent deal in the summer as well, and by that time Lingard will be in the final year of his Manchester United contract."