Newly-promoted Nottingham Forest are reportedly close to beating West Ham United to the signature of former Manchester United playmaker Jesse Lingard.
According to The Guardian, Nottingham Forest are in advanced talks to sign former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard on a free transfer this summer, as they try to beat significant competition from established top-flight outfit West Ham United.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who left boyhood club Manchester United at the end of his contract in June, is a free agent and has offers from several top-flight clubs, with West Ham United, Newcastle United, and Everton all having submitted respective proposals to the England international.
Lingard also has offers from two clubs in the Middle East, as well as from a Major League Soccer side. He has been heavily linked with a return to West Ham in recent weeks, having enjoyed a successful loan spell at the London Stadium in the latter half of the 2020/21 season, but his demands are reportedly proving to be an issue.
The Hammers were thought to be the front-runners in the battle to sign Lingard after conducting lengthy talks with the player, who has high salary expectations and is currently demanding £180,000 per week. Such demands have proven problematic in negotiations, with West Ham unwilling to smash their current wage structure. Despite this, there had been a feeling that he would eventually choose a return to the London Stadium.
However, in an unprecedented twist, Nottingham Forest have swooped to capture the free agent by tabling an extremely lucrative offer for the England international, in a move that would represent a huge coup for the Premier League new boys. Previous reports indicated that Forest would need to shatter their wage cap to get Lingard. And it appears that they are willing to do so, with West Ham’s chances of bringing him back to the capital now in jeopardy.
Lingard is a very experienced top-flight operator, having made 231 appearances for Manchester United, netting 35 goals and providing a further 21 assists during his stint at Old Trafford. Not to mention, he also stole the show during his loan spell with West Ham, notching up 14-goal contributions to fire West Ham into the Europa League places that term.
The versatile forward has also held talks with DC United following Wayne Rooney’s appointment as manager of the MLS club only to opt against it. Lingard has not given up hope of being picked up for the upcoming World Cup later this year. A Premier League move will certainly keep him in and around the conversation, with Forest the likely beneficiaries as he would come with a point to prove.
The report adds that while a deal to take Lingard to the City Ground is not yet finalised, Forest are close to agreeing a deal to sign the 29-year-old. Forest have already made several additions to their promotion-winning side, with Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo set to take that into double figures. Should they seal the deal for Lingard that would make it an entirely new starting lineup of only summer acquisitions.
