Nottingham Forest sign Jesse Lingard on one-year deal
Nottingham Forest have signed free agent Jesse Lingard on a lucrative one-year contract, 90min understands.
The 29-year-old has put pen to paper on a 12-month deal that could see him pocket close to £200,000-per-week if all bonuses are met - although his base salary at the City Ground will be significantly lower than that figure.
West Ham had been hopeful of bringing Lingard back to London Stadium, over a year after a successful loan spell, but he will now resume his career with Forest after being released by Manchester United at the end of June.
Lingard completed a medical on Wednesday night and will now join up with Steve Cooper's side in Germany, ahead of their pre-season friendly against Union Berlin on Saturday.
Ready for my new chapter ✨🤲🏾 let’s gooo babyyyyyy @NFFC 🔴🌳 #nottinghamforest pic.twitter.com/O4Q4mkThpN
— Jesse Lingard (@JesseLingard) July 21, 2022
The move brings to an end months of speculation over Lingard's future. It had appeared likely that he'd be heading back to West Ham after leaving Old Trafford, with Hammers boss David Moyes keen to reunite with the England international after getting the best out of him during a four-month loan spell in 2021.
Lingard also fielded interest from Everton, clubs in MLS and a team in Saudi Arabia, but Forest made a late move earlier in the week after owner Evangelos Marinakis sanctioned breaking the club's wage structure to agree a deal.
A one-year contract has now been signed, with Lingard becoming Forest's 12th signing of what has been an exceptionally busy transfer window.
The club have already broken their transfer record to sign Taiwo Awoniyi, and have also concluded deals for Neco Williams, Guilian Biancone, Omar Richards, Moussa Niakhate, Harry Toffolo, Lewis O'Brien, Wayne Hennessey, Brandon Aguilera, Ryan Hammond. Dean Henderson has arrived on loan from Manchester United.