West Ham, sitting 18th in the English Premier League (EPL), is reportedly considering signing Jesse Lingard (33), who recently left FC Seoul and is a free agent.
West Ham-focused outlet 'West Ham World' reported on the 19th (Korean time) that West Ham is internally discussing the return of Lingard, who was previously at the club on loan.
West Ham, urgently needing to escape the relegation zone, is looking for a forward, and Lingard, who has past EPL experience and would not require a large transfer fee, has attracted attention.
Lingard played for West Ham on loan in the 2021-2022 season and made a strong impression in a short period. He appeared in 16 official matches, scoring 9 goals and providing 5 assists. He played a major role in helping West Ham qualify for European competition at the time.
British outlet Claret and Hugh also quoted a well-informed source saying, "Lingard has spoken with West Ham."
According to reports, another EPL club is also interested in Lingard. However, at this time West Ham is considered to be leading the race to sign him.
West Ham World predicted, "With West Ham urgently needing to strengthen its attack, Lingard's return could be a big boost to coach Nuno's squad."
Meanwhile, Lingard was recently caught up in an unexpected rumor about a move to Malaysia.
Malaysian outlet Stadium Astro noted on the 15th that "Lingard's name is attracting attention at Johor Darul Ta'zim. Rumors that Lingard will soon join Johor, led by coach Sergio Muñoz, are circulating and have sparked debate among fans."
It added, "Lingard's name is listed on Johor's official website. However, detailed information was not provided."
He was briefly linked with China as well. Chinese outlet Sohu covered rumors saying, "Is Lingard headed next to Dalian Yifang? There is speculation that he could join the Chinese Super League as a free agent," noting that not only Dalian Yifang but also Chengdu Rongcheng, Beijing Guoan, and Shanghai Shenhua have shown interest in Lingard.
[Photo] Korea Professional Football League (KPFL), OSEN
[OSEN]