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Jesse Lingard has revealed that he turned down Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton to join boyhood club Manchester United as a youngster.

Midfielder Lingard was searching for his first side aged seven when he was given a number of trials at some of the biggest outfits in the Premier League - having shown his talent at Penketh United.

The now 26-year-old elected for United and officially arrived at Old Trafford aged nine before moving through United's academy.

Lingard won the FA Youth Cup in 2011, before being sent out on loan to Leicester , Birmingham, Brighton and Derby to gain experience.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

He eventually made his Premier League debut at the beginning of the 2014/15 season and has since netted 29 times in 183 appearance in the Red Devils' first-team.

"It was left down to me to pick a club and I felt United were best suited to me personally," Lingard said on Manchester United's official podcast.

"(Manchester) City, Liverpool , Everton and I think Crewe at the time (were interested) but I knew Man United was my home.

"I have a picture in a United kit when I was one year old. When I was seven I had trials and signed when I was nine."

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

Lingard has been heavily criticised throughout his career but the ace has hit back at his haters.

“I think people think I’m actually involved in everything,” said Lingard.

“But I don’t pack the clothes and send them on. If you came home with me, you’d just think I’m boring. I just watch Netflix all day, all week. I don’t do much else.

“There are a lot of things on social media, with people saying nasty things. You can’t get drawn into all that stuff.

“That’s why it’s tough for young footballers coming through now, they’re so attracted to social media and what people are saying about them, they don’t actually know how good they are themselves.

“One person can hate you and one person can love you, that’s just life. You have to get on with it.

“We’ve got to play in front of 75,000 people every week. At United, it’s the biggest club in the world, so you get criticised either way.

“For us as players, we’ve just got to get on with it and be thick-skinned. I love football. I love training, I love playing, I love the fans, the stadiums. I love everything about football. For me, I’m an out-and-out footballer.”