Lingard joins Nottingham Forest - West Ham beaten thanks to lucrative offer?

Free agent Jesse Lingard has found a new club. Promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest confirmed the transfer on Thursday. The 29-year-old was also in advanced talks with West Ham United, but Forest managed to offer a bigger package to the 32-times English national team player. 

Lingard is already the 11th new signing for Nottingham in this transfer window (overview). With an investment of €82 million, Nottingham Forest is among the teams with the biggest spending in this transfer window. According to various reports, Lingard demanded €180,000 a week from West Ham, too much for the Hammers. Forest had no reservations and met the demands. Nottingham will pay €235,000 a week, too much also for clubs from Major League Soccer and Saudi Arabia, who were also interested.  

The forward made his Premier League debut in 2014 at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal. Lingard has scored 35 goals and 21 assists in 232 games for the Red Devils and increased his market value to €40 million before starting to struggle during the 2019/20 season. After a successful loan spell at West Ham in 2020/21 (nine goals and five assists), Lingard once again struggled at United last season, managing just 548 minutes.