SIX goals and four assists in eight games for his new club, his first England caps since 2019 and, after a trying couple of years on personal and professional level, that familiar, mischievous smile returned to his face – Jesse Lingard’s West Ham renaissance is one of the feel-good stories of the 2020-21 season.

Lingard has been a sensation since arriving at the London Stadium on loan from Manchester United in January. The creativity, dynamism and goal threat that once made him a key player at Old Trafford but had proven elusive of late are back and abundant in claret and blue.

"I have not played much in the last two years, so to play week in, week out is good," Lingard said after his side’s 3-2 win over Wolves in early April, a game in which he scored a contender for Goal of the Season, carrying the ball from well inside his own half before finishing confidently with his left foot. "The team help me."

This is the fifth loan of his career, but this instance is very different from the previous four, the last of which coming in 2015. His past stays with Leicester, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby were developmental, a young player sent to the second tier for exposure to the men’s game, to build experience and robustness. Lingard’s move to West Ham, where he has linked up with former Manchester United boss David Moyes, was born of a search for a lost spark.

Jessie Lingard oh my word pic.twitter.com/QvSAdbfMUh

— J Cris (@mcriscent) April 5, 2021

Lingard hadn’t played fewer than 38 all-competitions games for his parent club in the past five seasons, peaking with a 48-game, 13-goal contribution in 2017-18. He had yet to appear for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men this term before being shipped out to east London.

A drastic loss of form, which saw him fail to score or assist for a run of 28 league games at one stage, coincided with a difficult period in his life away from the pitch – “It’s kind of like I was numb, like I weren’t there,” he confessed to TalkSport in July of last year. “And the games were just passing me by because I had a lot of things on my mind.” Mason Greenwood’s emergence and the signing of Bruno Fernandes rendered Lingard an afterthought in Solskjaer’s plans.

The move to West Ham, then, was one of a player surplus to requirements and, having been a shell of his former self for the best part of two seasons, in need of rejuvenation. West Ham offered an escape from the Old Trafford goldfish bowl, a chance for a fresh start at a club where he’d be valued. It is rare that a 28-year-old makes a temporary switch to a club below his parent side in the football food chain and manages to greatly enhance his standing, but that is exactly where Lingard finds himself.

The impudent inventiveness, the speed and directness of his running, the scoring knack and the tireless off-ball work ethic – the attributes that were encompassed within Lingard’s calling card have been fully restored under Moyes, a feat about which even the most optimistic of followers of both player and club would have been sceptical just three months ago.

"I am really pleased for Jesse, it's great for him, and his performances have warranted it in how he has played for us," Moyes said of the attacking midfielder’s international recall.

We know it's early and you may not have had your morning coffee, so we'll keep it simple…

After his stunning displays recently (and THAT goal last night) should Jesse Lingard be on the plane for The Euros?#ThreeLions | #Euros | #WHUFC | #PL | #WOLWHU

— Unibet (@unibet) April 6, 2021

"I have to say he has been very good and we just hope that continues. We want him to be positive and show exactly what he can do on the pitch. I think since he came in everybody has been a bit surprised with how good his fitness is, how good his all-round game is.

"I can see by the way he is working he is even getting better, his physical data has got better and overall he has been very good for us.”

While it might be suggested that West Ham’s gain is United’s loss in respect of Lingard’s return to form, it is rather the case that the midfielder’s success at the London Stadium proves the move was astute for all parties involved. Lingard has elevated himself into contention for a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s Euros; West Ham’s top-four push has benefitted from the presence of a player of international calibre; and Manchester United have seen the value of a fringe player soar, with reports Lingard could cost West Ham upwards of £30m in a permanent deal.

"He has helped us and given us another string to our bow and given us more attacking options,” Moyes added, “so we are really pleased with him."

So pleased, in fact, that West Ham are reportedly ready to do “whatever it takes” to secure Lingard beyond the end of his loan.