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Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has revealed that a late change of heart from Jesse Lingard played a part in deciding his future during the January transfer window.

The 29-year-old attacker’s plans proved to be one of the major topics last month right up until the transfer deadline. He came into 2022 following a continued lack of minutes this season.

In fact, he had played only 266 minutes before the turn of the year. As such, Newcastle and West Ham had links with a move for him throughout the month.

Man Utd did not want Lingard to move to top-four rivals West Ham. However, they entered talks with relegation-battling Newcastle, only for a £12million survival bonus demand to scupper the move for the Magpies.

Initial reports on deadline day offered hope of Lingard getting his move. Ultimately, though, Newcastle backed off and the midfielder stayed at Old Trafford.

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, interim Red Devils boss Ralf Rangnick opened up on the situation, revealing that England international Lingard had a change of heart late on in January.

“Well, three weeks ago Jesse didn’t want to leave, then he changed his mind,” Rangnick said.

“I had a chat with him some 10 days ago and I could fully understand why he wanted to leave – to get game time, for his future, also for the World Cup.

“I said to him that if he finds a club and we find a solution, I would let him go.

“But obviously with all the development we had in the last couple of days, things changed a little bit.”

Cup-tied for the FA Cup: Everton one of the biggest losers after the January transfer window

Indeed, Rangnick admitted that Mason Greenwood’s arrest was a factor in why Lingard stayed.

However, the manager also stressed that United needed to come to an agreement with an interested party, which did not happen.

Man Utd, Rangnick found no Lingard agreement

On the Greenwood situation influencing Lingard’s future, Rangnick said: “In a way yes. But in the end, the board also told me that they couldn’t find an agreement with any of those clubs.

“So with the window closing on Monday evening, in the afternoon the board informed me that they wanted him to stay.

“For me, that was a decision I could fully understand. It was two things. One is the problem with Mason Greenwood and being without a player who has played regularly in the last couple of weeks.

“And on the other hand, the club couldn’t find an agreement with any other club.”

Lingard found himself in the same situation last January, when he got a move to West Ham and flourished. Now, though, he is into the final six months of his Old Trafford contract and will be a free agent in the summer.

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