West Ham United to put foot on gas to seal Jesse Lingard transfer next week
West Ham are set to accelerate discussions with Jesse Lingard over a short-term deal next week as the deal can be done outside of the transfer window, according to Sky Sports.
The sports news outlet shared via their Transfer Centre blog [09:48] that talks between the East London club and Lingard have been slowly progressing as he continues to train with the first-team squad.
Lingard would be able to complete the deal after the transfer deadline on 1 September as he is a free agent, having left Nottingham Forest upon the expiry of his contract last month.
A controversial return
If this move had materialised this time last summer, West Ham fans would have been over the moon with the arrival of the man who spent such a successful period on loan at the London Stadium. Now, though, there are mixed emotions about the return of a once fan-favourite.
Lingard spent the latter half of the 2020/21 season with David Moyes’ side, where he thrived scoring nine goals and providing five assists in just 16 appearances in East London, leading to the club’s desperation to see him return that summer.
However, the former England international midfielder opted to join newly-promoted Nottingham Forest, who offered him a big-money contract to move to the City Ground, turning down a return to East London and leaving a sour taste in the mouths of the fans who loved him.
Should he return now, those same fans will of course be hoping he can hit the heights he did before, but there will be reservations over his arrival, and he will not be held in the same esteem he once would have.
In other West Ham news, the club are battling for a last-gasp £30million transfer deal.