Jesse Lingard asks for Manchester United favour amid Aston Villa transfer claims

Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard says he needs to 'clear' his head after a January transfer away from Old Trafford failed to materialise.

The former Birmingham City loanee was linked with a move to Villa as well as Newcastle United last month.

The Manchester Evening News claimed Villa were one of several Premier League clubs 'monitoring' the England international ahead of a possible swoop.

It was Newcastle who came closest to signing the 29-year-old England international, but the mid-season move fell through and Lingard has now asked United interim boss Ralf Rangnick for a couple of days off from training.

"He asked me and the club if we could give him a couple of days off just to clear up his mind and he will be back in the group next Monday, back for training, and be a regular part of the whole squad again," Rangnick told reporters before United's FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough.

Although Lingard has only started two games all season, United were said to be particularly keen to hold onto the midfielder after Mason Greenwood was suspended.

The club's hierarchy reportedly informed Rangnick earlier this week that not only had they failed to 'find an agreement' with another Premier League club bu, also that they would 'rather' Lingard stayed put.

"Three weeks ago, Jesse didn't want to leave," Rangnick added. "Then he changed his mind.

"I had a chat with him some 10 days ago and I could fully understand why he wanted to leave to get game time for his future and, also, the World Cup.

"I said to him at the time, in case he finds a club that he would like to play for and also the club finds a solution with our club, I would let him go and allow him to leave.

"But, obviously, with all the developments that we had