Jesse Lingard in our plans for next season, confirms Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Lingard, 28, looks set to stay at Old Trafford despite a successful spell on loan at West Ham

Lingard featured in Man Utd’s pre-season friendly against Derby on Sunday (Manchester United via Getty Imag)

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted Jesse Lingard is in the club’s plans for next season.

The 28-year-old midfielder made just three appearances in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign before going out on loan to West Ham in January.

And Lingard thrived at the London Stadium as he netted nine times in 16 games, a sensational run of form which saw him named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2020.

His future at Old Trafford has been called into question following his impressive spell at West Ham, but Solskjaer feels there is a place for him in their squad.

The Man Utd boss said: “Jesse has come back, been bright, he wants to fight for his place and there’s nothing better than seeing players want to fight for their place.

“What he did towards the end of last season, that’s the true Jesse, that’s what we know he’s capable of and I think we saw towards the end that we lacked some options at times and Jesse is in the plans at the moment, yeah.”

Lingard played 45 minutes for United in their 2-1 win over Derby County in a pre-season friendly on Sunday.

The match also saw Solskjaer hand a first club appearance to new keeper Tom Heaton who joined the side this summer.

"Tom was very positive,” the Norwegian added. “He's here to give the other ones a bit of a challenge as well. He's conducted himself so well throughout his career and I was just at the end of my career when he was coming up. I'm so happy we have him.

"Tom wants to play. He's been unlucky with the injury last season and I think he would have been in the England squad if not. He's got those ambitions."