Jesse Lingard is a Nottingham Forest player.
The attacking midfielder has finally brought the saga to an end by signing for the newly-promoted club.
Lingard has confirmed the deal on his social media, posting a video on Twitter in which he is wearing a Forest scarf.
He wrote: “Ready for my new chapter. Let’s go baby!”
The England international is reported to have signed a one-year contract with the City Ground club and will aim to play a key role in keeping them in the Premier Division.
It marks the third time that Lingard has turned down the Hammers, rejecting the chance to move the summer after his loan move, the following January, and now this summer.
It remains to be seen if boss David Moyes will now shift his focus to another target, with Blackburn’s Ben Brereton Diaz the most likely candidate.
At the very least, we can now call a halt to the Lingard reporting; he’s a Nottingham Forest player now.
What a stupid choice! Jesse turned down a challenge or two with West Ham playing alongside Rice, Bowen, Antonio, Lanzini, Soucek, Coufal, Fornals, Zouma, Aguerd, etc. in the top half on the Prem, and the opportunity of three cup runs, for an inevitable relegation scrap with Nottingham Forest.
It’s a one year deal, which says it all really. I’ll bet the Hammers offered him three or four years’ security.
I was certain – even yesterday – that he’d opt for West Ham.
………..The End!
The strange thing is, we will probably end up getting a younger player with Bags more potential as Lingard would have been a player for now rather than the future.
There are a couple of positives to this…
1. Lingard and his social media rubbish (“Chicken Run” indeed 😡) have found a new home.
2. His wages will not now become a divisive issue amongst the rest of the squad.
Seriously, what person deserves £40K/week……let alone £200K/week….. It doesn’t make sense to me, but here we are.
Let’s now hope that this Tortoise of a club, gets cracking and then goes on to get another five transfers over the line and concluded ASAP…
The signs are NOT looking great at the moment.
A narrow escape, thank God our Board stood firm on this money grabbing has been!!
Well we have well and truly been mugged off. God knows what Moyes is thinking? He was led down the garden path and strung along for over a year. The guy is a mercenary. Yes a footballers career is short, but he could have told Moyes that unless we were prepared to pay in the region of £150,000 to £180,000 forget it, his not interested.
This does highlight the golf between the fans and the over paid prima donnas that pass as todays professional footballers.
Unfortunately it doesn’t show Moyes in a good light at all.
He allowed himself to be strung along for over a year in the misguided believe/hope that Lingard would eventually sign.
Since January’s disastrous transfer window Moyes judgement is being severely called into question. Everybody in the world could see we were desperate for a striker, as well as a couple more players. 4th place was there for the taking and because of this we just run out of steam. But unfortunately its deeper than that. I feel Antonio is rapidly coming to the end of his Premier League career as an out and out striker. To rely on him for another full season is madness. Also Creswell is not up to two games a week every week. I’m a big fan of Creswell but at the end of last season and in the Rangers match you could tell his beginning to struggle. I also think Ben Johnson doesn’t look ready. I fear he could be another youngster that doesn’t live up to his potential.
I fear for Moyes.
Unless he signs at least Scamacca, Onana and Raum we will be mid table at best and could even be fighting relegation.
I also feel continually chasing Broja is the same mistake we made chasing Lingard. Moyes must realise quickly when certain transfers just aint going to happen.
Totally excellent post Rug I agree with all of it. Well said mate.
No surprise. He was always going to wait for the best bid and WHU took so long over this that some club (any club) was eventually going to come in. Just a waste of time and Moyes looking very silly.. Still no Striker
At long last the whole boring saga has finally concluded and Moyes will have to move on, so can we please have a quality centre forward, central midfielder and left back on board without any further delay?
I was a vocal fan of Lingard. I wasnt worried about the dip at the end of his spell with us, and I was excited about a romanic reunion at the London stadium this season. I was patient about his decision, and honestly, could accept the pantomime, as long as it fell into our favour, or was at least respectable……but this is a disgrace. I will personally boo every single touch when we play Forest and I hope his remaining career is a complete washout. Good riddance JLingz, may you never kick a ball in an England Shirt again.
This transfer just says it all, he chose money over his football career. I think we have dodged a bullet. He was brilliant when he was with us but would he have sustained that form or gone back to his real love, social media and getting like from nobody’s. I don’t believe he would have been as effective this time around as he wouldn’t have felt anything to prove, so Moyes please move on. He stringed you along for long enough just to get a bumper pay, he chose immediate money over longterm stability and his career
Couldn’t agree more
Lingard has 100% revealed himself. Originally, when he came to us on loan, he seriously had something to prove, to his manager Ole, the England manager and himself. We gave him the perfect platform and environment to do all of those things.
Has he got anything to prove now? I don’t believe that he has.
It has now become clear, that he has an ego the size of a planet. He has used this club and its supporters in a disgusting and cynical fashion, prostituting himself around looking for the highest bidder by pitting his suiters against each other and using any means at his disposal to do this. He is NOT a poor underpaid footballer, looking for a last big payday.
This club should never again be held to ransom by footballing mercenaries like him, as we have been saddled with more than our fair share of them over the years. IF we are going to use the Red Bull model, let’s stick to it, bringing in young talented, energetic and hungry players, and dismiss overreaching for the likes of Lingard.
Good riddance to him, Forest has won the mystery prize and will need to enjoy their moment in the sun as it won’t last that long.
IMHO West Ham had the best out of Jessie Lingard, his contribution was outstanding and was vital in securing Europa League. Thank you and I wish you well at Forest.
IF West Ham had signed him for £150k pw (£7.7mil, pa) over 4 years, they may have been struck with an average Premiership player sucking the financial life out of the squad.
French football is in financial meltdown, there will be great deals to be had and West Ham could benefit greatly if they take a gamble on some prospects?