Premier League star who once ‘agreed’ to join Newcastle United hints at next move

Jesse Lingard is open to a move to Saudi Arabia after saying the Gulf state is becoming “one of the hotspots to go to” for footballers. The attacking midfielder is a free agent after leaving Nottingham Forest.

Following his release from Manchester United, Lingard signed a lucrative one-year deal with the newly-promoted Premier League last summer 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.

To little surprise, Reds boss Steve Cooper has opted against negotiating a new contract with Lingard, who has been heavily linked with a move overseas.

Lingard admits he is considering all options - and refused to rule out a potential move to Saudi Arabia.

“I’m considering all options,” Lingard told Sky Sports. “I’ve never ruled out any team or club out, so for me it’s just picking the right team and it’s got to be right for me. I just want to play football at the end of the day and that’s all I want to do.

“Obviously the project has got to be well suited for me, the team’s got to be moving in the right direction but just regular game-time – I’m still hungry.”

Newcastle United owners the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia claimed a 75 per cent in four Saudi Pro League teams earlier this month - Al Ahil, Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, who have since attracted the likes of Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly.

“Saudi Arabia are doing big things, and in the next couple of years or so, it will be one of the hotspots to go to,” Lingard added.

“I’m not really surprised that the big names are moving out there. Like I say, they’re doing big things and it’s something I would consider as well – I’ve not ruled that out either.

“It’s got to be right for me at the end of the day. I’ve got to go on my gut feeling but I’m still hungry and striving for success.”

Lingard came close to joining Newcastle on loan in January 2022. A deal between the Magpies and Lingard was agreed 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.

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“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*.”

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