David Moyes has revealed a return to West Ham for Jesse Lingard was never on the cards over the summer.
But the Hammers manager has not ruled out another potential move for the Manchester United winger in the future.
Lingard enjoyed a sparkling loan spell with West Ham at the end of last season, scoring nine goals in 16 matches and thrusting himself back into the England squad.
That form prompted inevitable speculation, right up until deadline day, that Lingard could leave United in a permanent switch to the London Stadium.
But Moyes revealed United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nipped any potential transfer in the bud soon after the campaign had finished.
“Ole made it quite clear to me early in the transfer window that he wanted to keep him, so I knew pretty early that he would be staying at Manchester United,” said Moyes.
“I was hearing all the stuff but I had a private conversation with Ole who made it clear he was staying.”
Yet Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock late move back to United is likely to have shoved Lingard further down the pecking order at Old Trafford, so could Moyes revisit the situation?
“I can’t talk about players at other clubs because that’s not the way we do it,” he added.
“But because Jesse was part of our club for a while, I think all I can say is that he made a massive contribution to the team, both on the pitch and off the pitch. We really enjoyed having him.
“I hope in many ways Jesse will look at that time and how well the players treated him and made him welcome, that Jesse will look at that as well. So it may change.
“He was great for us. But simply the manager told me he was keeping him and when that happens, I believe the manager – and that’s the way it went.”
The Hammers face United at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon without suspended striker Michail Antonio.
