Jesse Lingard pushed for Saudi Arabia transfer all summer despite West Ham United training after Al Ettifaq development – Ben Jacobs
West Ham United fans were sold a dream on a likely Jesse Lingard free transfer with news now emerging that the former Manchester United attacker was actually pushing for a Saudi Arabia move all summer.
According to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, taking to his personal Twitter account (23 September), Lingard had been pushing all summer to move to Saudi Arabia and asked for four weeks of training.
Jacobs’ development comes after Steven Gerrard’s side Al-Ettifaq took to their official Twitter account on Friday evening (22 September) to announce that Lingard will be joining the club on a training contract which will be valid for a month.
Jacobs tweeted: “More on Jesse Lingard’s possible move to Al-Ettifaq. Lingard’s been pushing all summer for a Saudi opportunity. He asked for four weeks training.
“Al-Ettifaq plan to assess him and very open to signing him if next month goes well. Al-Shabab have also considered Lingard.”
Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano also took to his personal Twitter on Friday to report that it will be up to both parties if they will look to go ahead with a permanent transfer after Lingard had been training with West Ham all summer.
After the former Old Trafford attacker looked all set at some point during the summer that he’d be joining the Hammers on a short-term contract (90Min, 14 September).
Daily Mail journalist Simon Jones wrote on 4 September that the Hammers were set to offer a short-term incentivised deal to the former Manchester United and Nottingham Forest star during the international break.
Writing in his Transfer Confidential, he shared that Lingard will likely return to the London Stadium for a second spell having impressed while training with the Irons.
However, now as we understand it, it appears any potential move for Lingard was never on the cards at the London Stadium.
The Warrington-born forward had been pictured at Rush Green numerous times over the last few weeks smiling with the West Ham United players giving fans a strong indication that he’d be making a famous return to the club even if it was only temporary.
Moyes was keen to add to his attacking options having failed to sign a striker before the end of the transfer window and it certainly seemed as if Lingard would have been the perfect short-term candidate with the Hammers boss also giving weekly updates in regards to his fitness progress – again hinting at a possible West Ham United move.
But it’s now confirmed that the West Ham faithful had been sold a dream all summer and his use of the training facilities at Rush Green was always just a ploy to get him fit for his next step elsewhere rather than joining on a permanent basis.
While everyone outside of the London Stadium expected the Lingard return to happen, it seems as if West Ham United were playing with the fans and the media’s minds all along.
They were sold a pipe dream with Lingard getting his dream wish to make a possible Saudi move and it looks the ideal one for him as he goes on to join Gerrard and Jordan Henderson at Al-Ettifaq.
In other West Ham news, the East Londoners may well have found their next Declan Rice in one burgeoning Belgian talent, an ambitious bid could be on the cards in January.