‘My headspace is clear!’ – Jesse Lingard hits back at Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick

Jesse Lingard has hit back at Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick for claiming he requested time off to ‘clear his mind’ and insists he is ready to play despite his transfer disappointment.

The 29-year-old contract rebel – who has not started a single Premier League match this season – had offers from Newcastle and West Ham on deadline day but United’s hierarchy blocked a move.

Lingard is thought to be extremely disappointed by the decision and Rangnick confirmed at a press conference on Thursday that the midfielder would not be involved in Friday’s FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough.

‘He asked me and the club if we could give him a couple of days off just to clear up his mind,’ said the interim United boss.

‘He will be back in the group, I suppose, next Monday, back for training and then be a regular part of the whole squad again.’

But Lingard has taken to social media to give his own version of events, revealing it was the club who suggested he take time off and insisting that he will continue to give his all for the Red Devils.

Writing on Twitter on Thursday evening, Lingard posted: ‘The club advised me to have time off due to personal reasons!

<p lang=«en» dir=«ltr» xml:lang=«en»>The club advised me to have time off due to personal reasons! But my headspace is clear and Iâll always be professional when called upon and give 100 percent

‘But my headspace is clear and I’ll always be professional when called upon and give 100 per cent.’

The mixed messages between Rangnick and Lingard are very similar to the confusion which surrounded Anthony Martial’s absence from last month’s FA Cup clash against Aston Villa.

After that game, which the Frenchman was absent from despite being fit, Rangnick claimed Martial had requested not to