Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, former Newcastle target Jesse Lingard has revealed that a potential loan move to the Toon last January was blocked by Man United director John Murtough.
Both Lingard and Newcastle were very keen on the move, particularly with our precarious position in the league at the time, but the deal eventually collapsed after the Red Devils continued to demand
Now, the midfielder has revealed that he was told by a director that he was ‘not going on loan’ despite other members of the squad being allowed to leave.
Their squad was low on numbers, but Lingard was rarely featuring and with his contract expiring in the summer, it made little sense to hold on to the former England international.
Lingard would eventually get his move – although it would be in the summer to Nottingham Forest – but the then 29-year-old could have flourished in Eddie Howe’s side which surged up the table in the second half of the season.
Here’s what he had to say in the Diary of a CEO podcast, followed by quotes from his chat with Steven Bartlett:
“I wanted to go on loan in January because I wasn’t playing again. Newcastle was on the cards, the deal was done and everything. Obviously the United squad wasn’t big enough.
“They let a couple of players go on loan, but when it came to me, [Man United director] John Murtough rang me and he said ‘you’re not going on loan’.
“I said ‘well [another player’s] gone on loan, I’m not playing here so just let me go on loan and play football [at Newcastle].
“He was like, ‘What do you want, days off?’ I said, ‘No I want to play football’.”
