Jesse Lingard's next move is expected to be decided.
Sports Bible reported on the 20th (Korea time) that Jesse Lingard is close to choosing his next destination. It said a total of seven clubs, including West Ham United and Celtic, considered the possibility of signing him but ultimately all shook their heads, according to the report.
Lingard grew up in the Manchester United youth system. He enjoyed his prime after appearing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and was noted as a key asset for the England national team at the time. However, his standing at Manchester United sharply declined starting with the 2020-21 season, and he was pushed out of the starting competition, interrupting the flow of his career.
He later enjoyed a brief resurgence through a loan to West Ham United, but failed to meet expectations after a permanent transfer. The situation was not much different at Nottingham Forest. Ultimately, Lingard became a free agent ahead of the 2023-24 season, and a move to Saudi Arabia was mentioned but negotiations did not conclude. He had to continue personal training without a club for more than half a year while preparing for a comeback.
His new stage was the K League. Lingard wore the FC Seoul uniform and gradually made his presence felt, recording six goals and three assists in 26 matches in the 2024 season. In the following season he led the team's attack with 13 goals and seven assists in 41 official matches. He played a central role in both performance and influence, but decided to end his time with Seoul at the end of the season.
Since then Lingard has been in contact with several clubs in Europe and South America. Brazilian media outlet Globo reported that Brazilian club Remo is negotiating to sign Lingard, saying discussions had been underway for weeks and had recently shown progress.
However, Sports Bible conveyed another behind-the-scenes story surrounding Lingard. According to the outlet, West Ham United reviewed the opportunity to sign Lingard and then rejected it. English Championship clubs Coventry City, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town also made the same decision, and Scotland's Rangers and Celtic did not enter the transfer race either. It is an even more notable detail that Yang Hyun-jun is at Celtic and Yang Min-hyuk is at Coventry City on loan.
Meanwhile, concerns were raised about Lingard's move to Remo. South American football expert Tim Vickery warned it could be a difficult choice, mentioning Remo's recent form. He noted Remo had two draws and one loss in its last three matches and is likely to face a season-long relegation battle. He also pointed to Brazil's characteristic vast travel distances as a burden. The fact that roughly four hours of flight time are required for every away match could also act as a variable, he analyzed.
[OSEN]