Jesse Lingard urged to leave Manchester United in January transfer window amid West Ham links

Dimitar Berbatov has urged Jesse Lingard to leave Manchester United in order to get back in the England squad ahead of the World Cup.

Lingard has been the subject of transfer interest from Newcastle but a deal between the Magpies and Manchester United is yet to be complete. West Ham have never hidden their interest in bring the England international back to the London Stadium, with Stuart Pearce recently reaffirming the Hammers' desire to re-sign last season's loan star.

Since returning to Old Trafford, Lingard has found game time hard to come by and has lost his spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad as a result.

Following the departure of Anthony Martial to Sevilla, former Manchester United striker Berbatov believes Lingard should follow suit.

"Jesse Lingard also needs to go and find more game time. I was surprised that he didn't stay at West Ham and they didn't find a solution because he did so well there and I don't know why he's choosing to stay United if he's not going play," Berbatov told Betfair.

"If United aren't going to play him then I don't understand why there are any problems with him leaving the club.

"Obviously, when you are from the academy and have spent much of your life at United, it's difficult to let go and start a new chapter but I don't think he should be afraid because, as he showed with West Ham, he can do it.

"He's still under 30, so he has enough time to play and enjoy football but just sitting on the bench at United, it's obvious he isn't going play, I cannot accept that."

Lingard was named in Southgate's provisional Euro 2020 squad but missed out on the final 26 and Berbatov believes that if the attacker has any hope of making the World Cup later this year then he has to move on from