Sam Allardyce has revealed he almost signed Jesse Lingard last January while at West Brom.
Lingard has been subject to plenty of interest from several clubs including Newcastle and West Ham, the latter of which he signed for in the winter transfer window.
It has now come to light that the former Baggies boss tried to bring the Manchester United midfielder to the Hawthorns last winter before he joined the Hammers on a successful loan deal.
Allardyce told Genting Casino : "I have to say, nobody knows about this, that I spoke to him and his dad on several occasions last January to get him to come to West Brom.
"I think he’d have actually come to West Brom if [David] Moyesy hadn’t have come in at the last minute – the devil – and pinched him off of me.
"I was trying to sort the deal out with Man United.
"Nobody else seemed to be coming in for him, and then Moyesy comes at the last minute. Rightly so, I had no chance. He goes to West Ham and did an absolutely fantastic job."
The former England boss added where he thinks Jesse Lingard should sign before the window closes.
"He was a top-quality player at West Ham," Allardyce explained.
"Sadly, he stayed at Manchester United for this season, but has rarely featured.
"The ideal place for him for next season is West Ham, because he loved it there.
"If not West Ham, I think many clubs, on the basis of what he'd done at West Ham, will take him on a free transfer."
Manchester Evening News understands that the Hammers have made a last ditch attempt to bring Lingard back to the London Stadium today.
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