West Ham United in agent talks to seal Jesse Lingard free transfer, two offers from Saudi Arabia received
West Ham United are locked in a battle to sign Jesse Lingard on a free transfer with the forward receiving two offers from Saudi Arabia, according to The Secret Scout.
The reliable transfer news source took to their personal Twitter account (5 September) to share that West Ham have held talks with the agents of the England international.
Lingard has been training with the East Londoners since leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of last season but it appears a decision over his next move hasn’t been taken yet with two Saudi clubs joining the battle to sign him.
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.
Moyes is keen to add to his attacking options having failed to sign a striker before the end of the transfer window and this news comes after it emerged on deadline day that he wasn’t set to get a contract yet as he hasn’t reached the required level, with Moyes yet to decide on his fate.
The Athletic reported on 2 September that Lingard remained hopeful of impressing the Scottish manager and that the 30-year-old “could sign at any time” as a free agent, as he continues training with the team to build up his fitness after playing only four times in 2023 at Nottingham Forest.
The England international certainly endured a tough spell in the Midlands, failing to prove why Forest paid him the big bucks to make him their marquee 2022 summer acquisition.
While a return to East Londoners certainly remains on the cards, it isn’t guaranteed right now as the Saudi Pro League can certainly offer more money and future guarantees in regards to a long-term contract which the Hammers may not be willing to offer, with Lingard yet to discover his best self arguably ever since his departure from West Ham in 2021.
Moyes and the club board have certainly handled this Lingard saga with much thought and consideration after handing him the resources to find some fitness again, having trained with the first team throughout the summer and it certainly wouldn’t have been a swift decision to include him in the team given his recent struggles.
Lingard certainly has a decision to make right now which West Ham United will certainly be waiting for, but it won’t be a surprise to see a Saudi Arabian club win the battle for his signature.
In other West Ham news, one London Stadium target could have cost around just £15m had the Hammers made a last-ditch attempt to sign him.