Nuno has final say on Jesse Lingard return as West Ham agree £1m deal
West Ham were offered the chance to re-sign Jesse Lingard in January.
Lingard joined Nottingham Forest ahead of West Ham in 2022 as he revealed he was seemingly forced to join the Reds.
Things just haven’t worked out for the Englishman since leaving the London Stadium, but Lingard has long been linked with a West Ham return.
There have also been links to Saudi Arabia for Lingard over the years, but in the most recent window, he found himself listed as a free agent.
The Hammers had the opportunity to sign Lingard, with Nuno Espirito Santo giving the final verdict on a January deal.
Nuno Espirito Santo agrees £1m signing after Jesse Lingard links
Lingard has kept close ties to West Ham since leaving and could have been a popular signing among supporters and players alike.
Some fans don’t appreciate him for joining Forest, but his recent words have put certain elements of that story to bed for many.
The door was open for a Hammers switch this winter after the attacking midfielder’s time with South Korean outfit FC Seoul came to an end.
There are now questions over his next destination, with suggestions over the January window that an East London return was potentially on the cards.
It now appears that Nuno personally snubbed a move for Lingard as talkSPORT has now reported the Irons’ boss opted to push ahead to sign Adama Traore instead.
The Spaniard joined from Fulham for an initial £1million fee, resulting in the claret and blue outfit snubbing their former loanee despite being offered the chance to sign him.
Adama Traore has increasing pressure on his shoulders at West Ham
It is no surprise that Nuno opted to bring the winger in after his previous ties between the pair at Wolves.
The former Barcelona man is known for his electric pace and strength, showcasing his best form under the Portuguese head coach at Molineux.
He now needs to hit those heights again at the London Stadium, especially with his signing chosen ahead of Lingard’s return.
Fans know what they’re getting from the Englishman, while Adama represents more of an unknown quantity on a week-to-week basis.
That will only increase scrutiny surrounding the winter signing who now has a point to prove in claret and blue.