England boss: I’m surprised Man Utd weren’t inundated with bids for this ace



Jesse Lingard (left) has shone for Manchester United in the past two weeks

ENGLAND U21s boss Gareth Southgate has conceded he is surprised Manchester United didn’t have to fend off many bids for Jesse Lingard in the summer.

 

Lingard has kept Memphis out of Louis van Gaal’s starting XI in the past two weeks.

The 22-year-old also opened his account for the Red Devils with a superb goal in the 2-0 win over West Brom on Saturday.

Southgate admits he has always been a big fan of Lingard, who has been capped 11 times for the England U21 side.

He said: “I'm amazed they weren't inundated with more bids to prise him away in the summer, especially having played as well as he did in the Europeans. 

“We are not surprised because we have liked him from the off.”

 

Gareth Southgate thought more bids would have been made for Jesse Lingard

Southgate also thinks Lingard will continue to thrive playing at Old Trafford, adding: “They know they're going to have to perform in front of 70,000 people and that brings expectations and he's got the shirt at the moment and knowing him he'll do whatever it takes to hold onto it.

“People at the club, for a long time, stuck with him at a time where he was a small one."