With the free-agent acquisition of Jesse Lingard, Nottingham Forest made its largest signing since securing a return to the Premier League. After parting ways with Manchester United after 22 years during the offseason, the England midfielder was free to sign with another team.
Jesse Lingard set to join Nottingham Forest
It was revealed late on Thursday that Lingard was joining Forest. As it gets ready for its first Premier League campaign since 1999, the promoted team has added him as the 11th player.
Unknown was the duration of Lingard’s contract.
In 16 league starts during the second part of the 2020–21 season, the 29-year-old Lingard, who was on loan at West Ham, scored nine goals, and he was rumoured to be on his way to a permanent move to the London side.
Jesse Ellis Lingard, a professional footballer from England who was born on December 15, 1992, may play as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Nottingham Forest as well as for the England team. He is one of just three players to score in each of the last three finals, having won the FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield, and UEFA Europa League.
While out on loan at Leicester City in 2012, Lingard made his senior debut. He also spent time out on loan at Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Derby County in the following years (2013–14 and 2015–16).
He made his debut appearance for Manchester United’s first team in 2015 under Louis van Gaal, and he was a fixture in the lineup up until Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in 2018, after which he battled to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup.
Lingard regained his form in 2021, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances during a fruitful loan stint with West Ham United. Until the completion of the 2021–2022 season, he returned to Manchester United for one more season before being let go.