Newcastle are 'desperate to sign' 74-goal star at St James' Park

Newcastle are “desperate” to sign Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Eddie Howe’s side tried to sign the England international in January, but the Red Devils were reluctant to let him leave and blocked a deadline day move to St James’ Park in the final hours of the window.

Having played just one minute in Ralf Rangnick’s first eight top-flight matches in the Old Trafford dugout, just like 12 months earlier when he joined West Ham, Lingard was hoping for a loan move to improve his game-time.

Both Newcastle and the Hammers were heavily linked throughout the entire month, although the Toon Army looked the favourites, with United unlikely to sell to one of their main top four rivals.

On deadline day, Lingard met with Rangnick in a bid to make ‘one final push’ to sign for the Magpies.

With Lingard, who has 74 career goals to his name, surplus to requirements, he was hoping to be granted permission to make the switch to Tyneside. However, as the 11pm deadline approached, United informed the 29-year-old that he wouldn’t be allowed to leave, and he was forced to stay with his boyhood club.

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But with Lingard now in the final few months of his contract at Old Trafford, Jones believes the Toon Army are still hoping to get his signature over the line once he becomes a free agent.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I’m not convinced about Newcastle not being able to afford his wages. I’m sure they could find a way around that, they’re desperate to sign Jesse Lingard. I think it’s really a tug of war between the two.”

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