Nottingham Forest have sealed the shock signing of Jesse Lingard after hijacking West Ham’s move for the former Manchester United midfielder.
Forest, who are keen to demonstrate their ambition after winning promotion to the Premier League, have agreed terms with Lingard on an initial one-year contract worth close to £200,000 a week. The 29-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving United last month, underwent a medical on Wednesday night and becomes the Midlands club’s ninth summer signing.
Ready for my new chapter ✨🤲🏾 let’s gooo babyyyyyy @NFFC 🔴🌳 #nottinghamforest pic.twitter.com/O4Q4mkThpN
— Jesse Lingard (@JesseLingard) July 21, 2022
It is understood that Forest have also entered the race to sign Maxwel Cornet from Burnley. Everton had a loan bid for the Ivory Coast forward rejected last week.
West Ham had been cautiously optimistic that they were going to be reunited with Lingard, who excelled during a loan spell with David Moyes’s side two seasons ago. They were reluctant to meet the England international’s request for a deal worth £180,000, but they believed that an offer in the region of £150,000 a week would convince him to return to east London.
It came as a huge shock when it emerged that Forest were willing to break their wage structure for Lingard. West Ham were prepared to make him their highest earner despite concerns that doing so would cause disgruntlement in the dressing room. They had even hoped Lingard would have a late change of heart.
Moyes must now deal with the disappointment of missing out on one of his key targets. West Ham’s manager believes that Lingard, who can play in a number of positions in attacking midfield, would have improved his side’s output in the final third. Moyes, who turned down the chance to sign the Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma last month, was the driving force behind the pursuit of Lingard this summer.
West Ham need move on quickly after Lingard, who hopes that playing regularly will earn him an England recall before the World Cup, settled on Forest.
Huddersfield Town are set to sign Tino Anjorin from Chelsea. The 20-year-old forward was on loan at Huddersfield last season and he has agreed to join the Championship club again.