Moyes hopes Lingard will extend West Ham stay

(Reuters) - West Ham United manager David Moyes hopes the significant improvements his team has made this season will persuade on-loan midfielder Jesse Lingard to extend his stay at the London club.

The 28-year-old England international has been one of West Ham’s standout players since arriving from Manchester United on loan in January, scoring four goals and providing two assists in six matches.

His form has helped West Ham climb to fifth in the Premier League on 48 points from 27 matches, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who have played one more game.

“I hope we’re going to be in a position to attract many players in the future, because of our league position, because we’re a club with stature, we’re in London, we have a 60,000-plus stadium which will be full every week,” Moyes said.

“Jesse wanted to come here, right from the start,” he added. “When I was talking to him he wanted to come to West Ham. He saw it as a really good place for him. I think he’ll have seen what we’re trying to do. He’s joined a good group of players as well.

“We’ve got international players and I’m hoping we can add to that in the coming transfer window. I would hope Jesse sees this as a good place if it’s possible to be done, and if we think that we want to do it at the end of the season.”

West Ham face second-placed Manchester United on Sunday without Lingard, who is ineligible to play against his parent club.