- Spent 2022-23 campaign at the City Ground
- Has hit free agency once more
- Intrigued by projects in the Middle East
WHAT HAPPENED? The ex-England international endured a testing 2022-23 campaign on the injury front, with struggles for form and fitness restricting him to just 20 appearances for Forest. Lingard is now mulling over his options at 30 years of age, with there plenty of speculation to be found regarding a summer move that would see him join the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Middle East.
WHAT THEY SAID: Lingard has told Sky Sports of those rumours: “I’ve never ruled any team out, any club out, so for me it’s picking the right team. It’s got to be right for me. I just want to play football at the end of the day. The project has got to be well-suited for me. The team’s got to be good and in the right direction. Literally, it’s just regular game time. I’m still hungry, I’m working hard and I’m going to be ready when called upon.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: He went on to say of the ambitious projects being pieced together in the Middle East: “Saudi Arabia are doing big things. In the next year or so, the next couple of years, it will be one of the hot spots to go to. I’m not really surprised big names are moving out there, they’re doing big things. It’s something I’m obviously going to consider as well, I’ve not ruled that out either. It’s just got to be right for me at the end of the day.”
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Lingard has been taking in several holidays during the summer break, as he waits to discover where his next move will take him, with a potential switch to D.C. United in MLS being shut down by former United team-mate Wayne Rooney.