Nottingham Forest allowed Jesse Lingard to depart the City Ground at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. The 30-year-old spent just a single season on Trentside with very limited success.
According to The Athletic, the player has now headed to Saudi Arabia. He will spend a month on trial with Al Ettifaq, with Steven Gerrard keen to run the rule over the player.
Lingard was all set to win a deal with West Ham. David Moyes allowed the versatile forward to spend three weeks with the East Londoners on trial but a contract hasn’t been forthcoming.
At Forest, things didn’t really go according to plan for the man who has played for England. He didn’t really have much pre-season and that saw him begin the season pretty rusty.
Around the time that football stopped for the World Cup, Lingard was just getting up to speed. He scored and claimed an assist as the Reds defeated Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and things looked on the up.
Breaking for the World Cup did him no favours though. He returned looking to pick up where he left off but a couple of injuries in the second half of the campaign hampered his progress.
He left the Reds having made 20 appearances for the club. During his time on Trentside, he scored two goals and claimed two assists but didn’t win a new contract.
Lingard training with Al Ettifaq after Forest exit
Gerrard’s team have made a good start to life in the Saudi Pro League. They sit fourth in the league table with five wins and a draw from their opening seven matches.
Lingard isn’t thought to be close to a deal at this stage. The man who played for Forest last season will have to prove himself in training first and he will hope for good news.
West Ham were making progress with regards to signing him. Moyes was thought to be impressed with him but with no contract offer on the table he’s now hoping to win a deal in Saudi Arabia.
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