Mixed emotions come with latest Tottenham transfer rumour

Tottenham have shown their interest in Manchester United’s out-of-favour Englishman, Jesse Lingard, whose contract expires in the summer. 

Nothing in Tottenham’s speculative transfer bedlam is ever cut and dry. This is particular rumour induces mixed emotions, including a pinch of intrigue disproportionately offset by tablespoon of fear.

Lingard has never really performed well for United, scoring just 20 goals in 142 Premier League appearances. For a front man, or a front-man-turned-attacking midfielder, it’s a pathetically measly return. Not nearly as pathetic as Boris Johnson’s latest admission about attending a bring-your-own-booze party in the midst of a stringent lockdown implemented by his own party, but pathetic nonetheless.

Lingard, however, excelled and thrived during his loan stint at West Ham last season. The Englishman propelled out of the tunnel at London Stadium like a probe destined for Mars. He was sensational and scored nine goals while adding four helpers in just 16 contests. While an admittedly small sample size, Lingard made an otherworldly, albeit fleeting impact on the East London side.

He then returned to United, taking back his reserved seat on the pine. It’s no wonder he wants out of the northern city. Rumours have Spurs poised to make a summer advance, when Lingard can leave on a free transfer.

There’s only one issue with that timeline. Spurs need help now. Not in six months, but right now, like prior to Sunday’s north London derby. That outcome, though, is about as implausible as Boris wriggling his way out of the utter chaos he’s created.

Spurs would have to offer United at least £15 million to secure his services before the January transfer deadline closes.

Is the 29-year-old worth it?

Based on his sordid, unproductive history with the Red Devils, I’d say no, unequivocally. If you look solely at his brief wizard-like spell at West Ham, it’s a categorical yes.

But I’m afraid his flash-in-the-pan brilliance with the Hammers isn’t enough to convince one he’d repeat that feat at Tottenham for a sustained period.

This potential transfer feels eerily like a proposition Tottenham will jump all over, a decidedly foreboding, disconcerting prospect. It resembles the Steven Bergwijn transfer, aside from the player’s age disparity.

If Lingard does land in Tottenham, he’d either launch like the rocket he was at West Ham or sputter and fade into the afterthought he is at United. Intuition and the indisputable evidence from a much larger sample size at his current club has me leaning to the latter.