Jesse Lingard completes shock move to Nottingham Forest on a free transfer after waving goodbye to Manchester United this summer, with the England star penning a one-year contract at the City Ground worth nearly £200,000-a-week
- Jesse Lingard has announced his move to Nottingham Forest on social media
- The ex-Man United star was available on a free transfer after leaving Old Trafford
- Forest beat West Ham to his signature this summer after tabling a hefty offer
- Lingard has put pen to paper on a huge £200,000-a-week deal with the club
Jesse Lingard has signed a bumper contract approaching £200,000 a week with newly-promoted Nottingham Forest in the shock deal of this summer’s transfer window.
The England international, who left Manchester United at the end of his contract, turned his back on West Ham to sign for Forest after passing a medical on Wednesday, and could make his debut in the friendly with Union Berlin in Germany on Saturday.
Lingard is thought to have signed an initial 12-month deal though Forest will be hoping to extend that if he performs well. The 29-year-old has not given up hope of forcing his way into Gareth Southgate’s squad for this winter’s World Cup in Qatar, after he was a key man in England’s run to the semi-finals four years ago.
Jesse Lingard has signed for Nottingham Forest on a one-year contract this summer
Mitliadis Marinakis, the son of owner Evangelos, tweeted a picture of himself and Lingard posing with a Forest shirt, early in the evening.
The Hammers were considering whether to return with an improved offer for Lingard, with boss David Moyes a huge fan of the player, who also had interest from the United States and the Middle East.
Forest had already spent more than £70million on nine players, as well as signing goalkeeper Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United, but Lingard’s signing takes their campaign to a new level. Marinakis senior has bankrolled a huge summer spree to try to establish Forest in the top flight and they are also thought to have shown interest in Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis and Maxwel Cornet of Burnley.
Lingard confirmed his switch to the City Ground in a video message posted on social media
The England star was available on a free transfer this summer after leaving Manchester United
Boss Steve Cooper was keen to add Premier League know-how to his squad, with Henderson – who has made 49 appearances in the top division – the only one with significant experience of the English top flight.
Lingard made 165 top-flight appearances during spells with United and West Ham, and has 32 caps for England.
Cooper said: ‘There’s loads of good players you can buy or get offered to you. But it’s not just that. Obviously we want good players, but we want good players who fit our way of playing, fit our culture and fit our atmosphere. It’s like trying to put a jigsaw together.
‘All of the players we have signed so far suit how I want the team to play. And they act and work and behave in the right way.’
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
