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Jesse Lingard signs new £75,000-per-week Manchester United deal
Jesse Lingard has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United.
The England forward has agreed a deal that will tie him to Old Trafford until June 2021, although there is the option of a further year. It is thought his salary will increase to around £75,000 a week.
Michael Carrick could be the next to follow with talks over a 12-month contract extension continuing.
United manager Jose Mourinho would like the midfielder, 35, who has a testimonial in June to mark his 11-year association with the club, to stay until the end of next season, after which he could retire.
Lingard scored in United's FA Cup triumph under Louis van Gaal last season and February's League Cup final victory over Southampton and is confident Mourinho will deliver more success at the club.
“Manchester United has always been a big part of my life," Lingard said. "I have been with the club since the age of seven and I feel great pride every time I pull the shirt on. To have scored in two cup finals for my boyhood club were immensely proud moments for me and my family.
"As a team, we have already won a major trophy this season and I look forward to helping us win many more under this great manager."
Lingard was one of the forwards Mourinho criticised for not scoring enough after Saturday's goalless draw at home to West Bromwich Albion but is pleased the 24-year-old has committed his future.
"Jesse has been with the club since the age of seven," Mourinho said. "He has good intelligence which, when combined with his energy and ability, makes for a player with a great future ahead of him. Jesse is a popular member of the squad and I am delighted."
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has admitted he has still to adjust to English football, nine months after his move from Germany, and believes he has significant room for improvement.
Mourinho dropped the United forward for Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Everton after revealing he had been unhappy with the player’s contribution against West Brom three days earlier.
Despite Mkhitaryan scoring seven goals in his past 19 matches for United, the manager has also criticised the Armenian, along with some of the team’s other forwards, for what he feels has been a poor goals return this term.
Mkhitaryan has made notable strides since being frozen out by Mourinho in the early part of the season following his £26.3 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund last summer but, from from being dropped, the 28-year-old shares the Portuguese’s view that he has much more to offer.
“No, not yet,” he said when asked if he was now up to speed with the Premier League. “I still have places where I can improve and room to improve. I know myself very well and I am sure than I can do better, and I will do better, because I am confident.
“I know very well within myself I can do more. I want to say that, for next year, I am going to have more goals and more assists.
“Of course, you can improve in every aspect. There is not one side that you can say I am good on it and then I don’t have to work on that facet. You have to work on every side to your game, in every aspect, because you just have to keep working hard to improve.”
Wayne Rooney is a serious doubt for United’s visit to Sunderland on Sunday after complaining after pain in both ankles. Mourinho hopes Ashley Young will be fit after the makeshift full-back was substituted with a knock to the leg against Everton.