Jesse Lingard hits back Ralf Rangnick over failed Newcastle United transfer comments

Jesse Lingard has spoken publicly for the first time since his a potential deadline day move to Newcastle United collapsed.
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Jesse Lingard has denied he asked Manchester United for time off in light of his failed deadline day move to Newcastle United.

It was claimed by Ralf Rangnick that the England midfielder had requested the weekend off and miss tonight’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Middlesbrough to “clear his mind’.

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Lingard, out of contract in the summer, wanted to leave Old Trafford in January, with Newcastle pushing hardest to sign him on loan ahead of West Ham United.

The Magpies offered to pay a loan fee and the player’s rumoured £100,000-a-week wages in full but a deal first stalled over a potential survival bonus.

And when talks reignited on deadline day, Man United decided to keep hold of the 29-year-old despite his lack of gametime.

It was a situation that was said to have left Lingard furious as he seeks regular first-team football - but he’s publicly denied asking for time off.

What Ralf Rangnick said

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Speaking on Thursday afternoon, interim boss Rangnick said: “Jesse asked me and the club if we could give him a couple of days off just to clear his mind.

“He will be back in training on Monday and part of the whole squad.

“I told him if he finds a club and the club find a solution with our club I would allow him to leave, but with all the developments, things changed.

“We also had no agreement with any other club so we had to take a final decision as the board and keep Jesse until the end of the season.”

Jesse Lingard’s response

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Lingard, however, disputed Rangnick’s explanation and hit back on Twitter a few hours later.

He tweeted: “The club advised me to have time off due to personal reasons!

“But my headspace is clear and I’ll always be professional when called upon and give 100 percent.”