West Ham confirm 24-man Premier League squad… and fans reckon they know who’ll pinch the final spot on free transfer

WEST HAM have dropped a major hint that Jesse Lingard could be set to re-join the club.

The Hammers confirmed their squad for the Premier League season and were allowed to name up to 25 players.

However, David Moyes has picked just 24 with fans convinced it is leaving the door open to Lingard’s return.

Clubs that have not named the maximum amount of players can register free agents subject to Prem approval.

The attacking midfielder is currently without a team after seeing his Nottingham Forest deal expire at the end of last season.

Lingard has been training with West Ham over the summer to maintain his fitness and could be set to land a short-term contract.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Moyes suggested that the 30-year-old could pull on the claret and blue shirt again.

He said: “Jesse has trained with us for three weeks and he’s improved greatly from when he first came in.

“He’s in really good condition – much better condition than he was when he first came in.”

The former Manchester United star became a fans’ favourite in East London during a loan spell there in 2021.

He joined in January and helped fire West Ham into the Europa League with nine goals and five assists in 16 matches.

The club made an effort to make the deal permanent but they could not agree a deal with him and he stayed at Old Trafford for one more year, scoring a winner against the Irons that season.

Again, West Ham tried and failed to sign him last summer as Forest snapped up him up.

Fans believe West Ham will finally get their man, one said: “Space left for Lingz.”

Another added: “Room for one more.”

West Ham cannot include more than 17 non-homegrown players so they have named eight born in England to fill the quota.

Players aged Under-21 do not have to be included.

There is no space for Lingard in their Europa League squad.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk