West Ham have set their sights on making Jesse Lingard's stay at the club a permanent one this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Why do they want to keep him?

It's fairly simple - Lingard has been nothing short of outstanding since he arrived from Manchester United on loan in January.

In his eight top-flight appearances for the Hammers, he has recorded 10 goal contributions. He has only failed to be directly involved in a goal in one match for David Moyes' men.

His latest performance against Wolves was arguably his best showing so far. He registered a goal and an assist to steer West Ham to a narrow 3-2 victory.

What impact has he made on West Ham?

In the club's final game before Lingard was introduced to the squad, they were beaten 3-1 by Liverpool. This could have led to a slump in form which may have caused West Ham's season to fizzle out after a strong start to the campaign.

Yet with Lingard in their ranks, the team have kicked on once more. The 28-year-old has helped the east London club to five wins, two draws and just one defeat in the eight matches that he has featured in.

This run has taken West Ham into the top four with just eight games of the season remaining.

What agreement do West Ham have in place with Man United?

Lingard is on loan at West Ham until the end of the season, but the club didn't secure an option to buy clause in the original agreement according to The Mail. 

This means that, as things stand, Lingard will return to Old Trafford at the end of the season.

Have West Ham made a mistake in not agreeing a future fee for Lingard?

They certainly have. Lingard had not played in the Premier League for United before joining West Ham, and it seems likely that the Irons could have agreed a reasonable fee for the Red Devils' forgotten man at that point.

Now, Lingard is back in the spotlight. His dazzling displays for West Ham have made the team genuine contenders for a Champions League spot, and earned him a recall to the England national team.

With each passing week, his value seems to be increasing and United are now reportedly expected to demand as much as £30m to let him go in the summer.

West Ham could also face competition for Lingard, given that Tottenham, Arsenal, Wolves and Newcastle were all keen on signing the midfielder back in January.

That makes a permanent deal less likely, but a big transfer fee even more likely. 

Is Lingard the key to securing Champions League football for West Ham?

West Ham were doing well before Lingard arrived, but he has still managed to make a major impact at the club.

He could now be the key to West Ham securing Champions League football for next season. With Declan Rice set for a spell on the sidelines, and Michail Antonio hobbling off on Monday night, it seems that Lingard is going to need to take on added responsibility in the coming weeks.

He stepped up to the plate at Molineux, and Moyes will hope that Lingard can continue to produce the goods in the final run-in.