Former Manchester United star who once ‘agreed’ to join Newcastle United snubbed by West Ham

Former England international Jesse Lingard is training with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq after failing to win a contract at West Ham United.

After being let go by Manchester United last year, Lingard signed a lucrative one-year contract with Nottingham Forest but the move failed to have the desired impact.

Although Forest retained their top-flight status, the 30-year-old played little part. Lingard featured 17 times in total but started only two games since Boxing Day. His last appearance was against Man United in mid-April.

Lingard has spent the summer searching for a new club. It’s understood he had a trial at MLS sides DC United - managed by Wayne Rooney - and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. After both clubs passed up the opportunity to sign him, the midfielder returned to England to train with West Ham.

Lingard enjoyed a successful loan spell at the London Stadium during the second half of the 2020-21 season, scoring nine times in 16 appearances. He was expected to sign a short-term deal with the Hammers but is now training with Al-Ettifaq in the hope of winning a contract.

Al-Ettifaq are managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who the likes of Jordan Henderson Demarai Gray this summer.

Lingard’s career has somewhat stalled over 18 months since he came close to joining Newcastle United on loan. A deal between the Magpies and Lingard was agreed in January 2022 but Man United refused to sanction the move.

“I wanted to go on loan again in January because I wasn’t playing again,” Lingard told the Diary of a CEO podcast. “Newcastle was on the cards in January. The deal was done - everything - but the United squad was not big enough.

“A couple of players went out on loan and when it came to me, John Murtough [Manchester United director of football] rang me and was like, ‘no, you’re not going on loan.’ I was like, ‘he’s on loan. Let me go and enjoy my football. I’m not playing here so let me go on loan.

“I want to play football.’ He was like, ‘what do you want? Days off?’ I said, ‘no. I want to go play football.’ They stopped the loan, obviously I was p----d”

Lingard was frozen out by Ralf Rangnick for the second half of that season. Newcastle retained an interest in the following but weren’t willing to meet the player’s reported £200,000-per-week wage demands.