Jesse Lingard is reportedly 'open' to the idea of returning to West Ham in the January transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Hammers hero last season

At beginning of last season, not many Hammers fans would have expected Lingard to be a club hero come the end of the campaign.

That's precisely what happened, however, with the 28-year-old excelling on loan after joining in January, scoring nine goals in 16 Premier League appearances.

Unfortunately, Lingard returned to Manchester United in the summer but he has been a fringe player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once again, starting zero top flight games and playing just an hour in total in the competition, despite the fact he has found the net twice in that time.

The Latest: Return on the cards?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones talked up the idea of Lingard making a popular return to the London Stadium, saying the Englishman is keen on it happening:

"He's becoming open to the idea again. He was hoping things would work out for him at United but it hasn't.

"He's barely seen any football in the Premier League so it's been a bit frustrating for him because he thought he'd get more of a look-in than he's got. He probably feels he deserves that as well."

The Verdict: Perfect potential signing

This is a wonderful time to be a West Ham fan, with David Moyes building a superb squad that looks capable of mounting a genuine top-four challenge - that momentous win over previously undefeated Liverpool speaks volumes.

Lingard could be the icing on the cake in January, though, bringing with him end product and experience that could further aid the Hammers - talkSPORT pundit Darren Gough even went so far as to compare one of the England international's goals in East London to Diego Maradona.

It would also only improve the feel-good factor at the club currently, given how loved Lingard was during his short stint in east London, and is a win for the player too, granting him more opportunities to secure a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

In other news, a journalist has made another West Ham transfer claim. Read more here.