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Jesse Lingard: I chose Manchester United over Liverpool as a youngster

Lingard, 22, was called up to the England squad this week

Tom Sheen
Wednesday 18 November 2015 13:31 GMT
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Manchester United youngster Jesse Lingard has revealed he turned down an offer from rivals Liverpool to join the club as a kid.

The 22-year-old was called into the England squad earlier this week despite playing just over three hours of Premier League football in his career so far.

Louis van Gaal has started the winger in each of United's two games and he responded with an assist in the 1-0 win against CSKA in the Champions League and a goal and man of the match performance against West Brom on 7 November.

With Memphis Depay struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League, Adnan Januzaj out on loan and Antonio Valencia injured, Lingard is likely to continue in the starting XI when the side travel to Watford at the weekend.

But Lingard has revealed that when he was still young he had the chance to join either Manchester United or bitter rivals Liverpool.

Warrington-born Lingard picked United.

"I was at a local club Penketh United and Mike Glennie, a Manchester United scout, came to watch me," he told MUTV.

"He spoke to my granddad and offered me trials but there was also interest from Liverpool and I had to pick. I was only young but obviously my heart was with United at the time.

"Going through the years, I was with Larnell Cole, Mike and Will Keane, Sam [Johnstone], Ravel [Morrison] and Tunners [Ryan Tunnicliffe].

"There are a lot of lads still doing their thing at other clubs and they're happy seeing me where I am.

"I've won a lot of trophies, like the FA Youth Cup and the Reserves league a couple of times, but it would top it off to win the Premier League with the first team."

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