Transfer Gossips: Barcelona And AC Milan Are Eyeing Jesse Lingard

AC Milan and Barcelona will battle it out for the signature of England and Manchester United's midfielder Jesse Lingard when his Old Trafford contract expires next summer.

Lingard rejected the offer of a new contract from United last month in order to weigh up his options before making a decision on his future.

Lingard 28, wanted to see how much playing time he was given by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho, having spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham.

However, Lingard has made just one start this season – against West Ham in the Carabao Cup – and has had more minutes on the pitch for England national team than he has for his club.

Lingard wants to maximise his chances of being in Gareth Southgate's squad for the World Cup next year after narrowly missing out on the Euros this summer.

It now appears as though he will see out the remainder of his Manchester United's contract which runs until June next year and leave on a free transfer, ending an association with United stretching back more than 20 years.

Solskjaer wants to keep Lingard and United could yet make an improved offer – or even try to sell him in January – but the final decision will lie with the player.

He can open talks with foreign clubs from January 1 and it's understood that Barcelona and Milan have both expressed a strong interest in signing him as a free agent.

Meanwhile, United captain Harry Maguire on Wednesday confirmed that he has not trained since suffering a calf injury last month, meaning Solskjaer will definitely be without his two first-choice centre-backs at Leicester on Saturday as Raphael Varane was also ruled out for few weeks after picking up injury in the Nation's League victory against Spain.