Newcastle are reportedly unwilling to pay what they believe are extortionate wage demands from Jesse Lingard just because of their recent takeover.

The Magpies are now in a position to spend on exciting new signings following their recent revival. Their situation looked bleak before the turn of the year, but Eddie Howe has turned it around.

According to ESPN, though, Manchester United attacker Lingard is one signing the Magpies will not be making.

Newcastle tried to sign the 29-year-old in January, only to be priced out of the move.

And the report claims the same has happened with recent developments. Lingard remains a firm target for Newcastle, but they are now unwilling to match his wage demands.

The England international reportedly wants £150,000 per week. Newcastle could afford that following their Saudi-led takeover in October but will not be held to ransom.

As a result, West Ham are supposedly the leading contenders for Lingard, as per previous reports. Indeed, the report claims that the news about Lingard has ‘reverberated around the game’.

It remained unclear until now whether Newcastle would back down on their financial stance to snap up a key target.

As for the unresolved issue of Lingard’s future, he is to become a free agent at the end of June. He will not sign a new Man Utd contract and a move to West Ham would make sense for him.

Jesse Lingard is seemingly closing in on a return to West Ham, with reports suggesting they’ve offered to match the wages he earns at Manchester United

Lingard starred on loan at the London club in the second half of last season. As well as scooping a Premier League Player of the Month award, he got back in the England squad.

He has struggled for minutes at Old Trafford and needs a fresh start, not just with a loan deal.