Keith Gillespie has exclusively told the Transfer Tavern that Manchester United could use Jesse Lingard as bait to improve their chances of signing West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been a long-term admirer of the current Hammers captain, but would take a hefty fee in order to convince the east London outfit to allow him to move to Old Trafford, with reports suggesting David Sullivan values him at £100m.

And therefore, former United midfielder Gillespie believes that Lingard, whose currently enjoying a revival on loan at the London Stadium, could be used by Ed Woodward in a potential deal to bring Rice to the Theatre of Dreams.

Lingard has scored five goals in seven appearance since his January loan, and has already been linked with a permanent move to West Ham having fallen down the pecking order under Solskjaer, with his Old Trafford career currently looking bleak.

Asked about Rice potentially joining Manchester United this summer, Gillespie told the Transfer Tavern:

"Maybe [Jesse] Lingard could go to West Ham and Man United might try and use that as an angle to try and lure Declan Rice to Old Trafford."

Whilst it's going to be anything but easy to convince Rice to leave West Ham, this suggestion makes perfect sense.

Lingard would appear surplus to requirements, whilst Hammers midfielder Rice is an addition that Manchester United desperately need, so it's worth keeping a close eye on how this one pans out.