Summary West Ham United are considering offering former Manchester United player Jesse Lingard a short-term contract if he impresses during training. Lingard, who is currently a free agent, has been training with West Ham to maintain his fitness after a disappointing season at Nottingham Forest. Lingard had a successful loan spell with West Ham in the 2020/21 season, where he made a significant impact and earned praise from manager David Moyes.

West Ham United are "assessing" the viability of offering a player David Moyes once described as "quality" a "short-term deal" as the club look to bolster their squad for next season, per Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

West Ham United news – What's the latest?

After a languid start to the transfer window this summer, the East Londoners have finally decided to be proactive and have started to take action, welcoming their first signing early last week.

That first name through the door was Mexican international Edson Alvarez, who joined from Ajax in a deal worth an estimated £35m, which seems like a pretty good deal given the state of the market this year.

Not to get complacent, the club followed up by paying Southampton £30m for their captain and club talisman James Ward-Prowse, which, again, looks to be a good bit of business from the Conference League champions.

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However, another player the Irons may sign this summer could raise a few eyebrows among the fanbase and beyond, former Manchester United product Jesse Lingard.

Moyes and Co have been allowing the former England international to train at the club over the summer to keep his fitness up after he left Nottingham Forest following a rather disastrous season there last year, but according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the 5 foot 9 dynamo could earn himself a short term contract should he impress in training.

Sheth explained the situation on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:

"He's a free agent, as we know, he had that one-year deal at Nottingham Forest last season. It wasn't renewed in any way, so he became a free agent, and in the past week or so, he has been training with West Ham United primarily to keep his fitness up.

"However, I'm told the club are assessing the possibility of a short-term deal. It hasn't gone any further than that as far as I'm aware, and he's just keeping this fitness up, but if he's in the building and he's impressing, you know you catch a few people's eyes, maybe they will decide you know what, we could use you."

How old is Jesse Lingard?

Born December 15th, 1992, in Warrington, England, the 30-year-old has had a career of ups and downs since making his debut for Leicester City in the 2012/13 season.

While he made 232 senior appearances for United, scoring 35 goals and providing 21 assists along the way, he never truly established himself as an undroppable player for the Red Devils, spending a lot of his career in the northwest on the substitutes bench.

His most impressive spell in the top flight came when he spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan with the Hammers, starting 16 league games, scoring nine goals, providing four assists, taking 2.6 shots per game, winning two Man-of-the-Match awards and averaging a sensational match rating of 7.22, per WhoScored.

Moyes was clearly a big fan of what the then 28-year-old was bringing to the team, waxing lyrical about him following a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad, saying:

"Jesse has brought us quality, which he's got. Over the years, he has shown his level. He can play several roles – wide, as a 10, as a forward, an out-and-out 9 if we needed, a midfield player.

"He takes the ball. He is someone who is helping us open games up. We needed something else [in the squad] and I think Jesse has given it and he has also helped the players around him by running with the ball and building play up. I've been really pleased."

While it's impossible to avoid the fact that the former United man failed miserably during his stint with Forest last season, not registering a single goal or assist in the 17 league games he played for them, if the East Londoners can sign him on a one-year deal for free, it seems like a gamble worth taking.