Premier League star who agreed to join Newcastle United could seal Saudi Arabia transfer

Jesse Lingard is set to leave the Premier League at the end of the campaign - with a host of overseas clubs lining up to sign the former Manchester United star.

The 30-year-old penned a one-year contract with newly-promoted Nottingham Forest last summer but has struggled to make a real impact.

In 16 top-flight appearances, Lingard has failed to register a goal or assist, and has featured for Forest just twice since December.

Because of Lingard’s disappointing return, Steve Cooper’s side are unlikely to table a new contract offer, which, according to Football Insider, has alerted clubs in Saudi Arabia and the Major Soccer League.

Lingard’s struggles come 14 months after the former England international came close to joining Newcastle United on loan. He agreed to join for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign but Man United blocked the move.

Speaking to the Diary of a CEO podcast in February, Lingard explained: “I wanted to go on loan again in January because I wasn’t playing again. 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.”

Eddie Howe’s retained an interest in Lingard last summer but put off by his wage demands. According to reports, the former Derby County loanee is on £200,000-a-week at Nottingham Forest.

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