Jesse Lingard admits he considered taking "time out" from football during struggles on and off the field at Manchester United, with the 28-year-old "going into games happy sitting on the bench".
The England international had slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford prior to football entering a coronavirus-enforced lockdown in March 2020, with competitive minutes proving to be in short supply.
That situation failed to improve when action resumed, eventually leading Lingard to accept a loan proposal from West Ham, and there were some dark days when mental health concerns led a talented playmaker to weigh up the merits of walking away.