BREAKING NEWS: JESSE LINGARD IS RELEASED BY NOTTINGHAM FOREST

  • Jesse Lingard has been released by Nottingham Forest after just one season 
  • The ex-Man United player was earning £200,000 a week at Steve Cooper's club 
  • Lingard was one of six players released by the club at the end of their contracts 

Jesse Lingard has been released by Nottingham Forest after just one season at the City Ground.

The former Manchester United star joined the club last summer on a one-year deal worth £200,000-a-week in a summer overhaul of their squad from Forest ahead of their Premier League return.

But Lingard, 30, played just 20 times for the club and failed to score a league goal or make an assist.  

Forest confirmed on Friday that Lingard would leave and would not be offered a contract extension. 

Lingard struggled to get himself into Steve Cooper's  Forest team, and ultimately made just one assist during his year with the club, while his only goals came in the Carabao Cup campaign which saw them reach the semi-finals.

The 30-year-old rose through Man United's youth ranks, but struggled to break into their team on a regular basis - although he did enjoy a fruitful run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

A successful loan spell at West Ham in 2021 was followed by a poor year at Old Trafford, and he was released by the Red Devils at the end of his contract.

Lingard scored nine goals in 16 games for the Hammers and the east London side were keen to sign him permanently, but they were ultimately beaten to his signature.

LINGARD'S TORRID FOREST SPELL 

Games: 20

Goals: 2

Assists: 2

Last appearance: April 16 v Man United

Total minutes: 1,114 

Forest stepped in to sign Lingard as a free agent, but struggled to get much on the pitch in return for their investment.

His departure from the City Ground is set to spark rumours about Lingard's next destination, with a spell away from the Premier League predicted for the 30-year-old.

The club confirmed the end of contracts tying six senior players to the club, with Andre Ayew, Cafu, Jack Colback, Jordan Smith and Lyle Taylor also exiting.

The official statement reads: 'The club would like to thank each player for their contributions during their time at The City Ground.' 

However, Serge Aurier has extended his stay at Forest by triggering an option that was placed in the right-back's contract. 

Keylor Navas, Dean Henderson and Renan Lodi have returned to their parent clubs after loan spells at the City Ground, while Forest will make Chris Wood's loan from Newcastle a permanent move when the transfer window opens. 

Forest are expected to make their loan agreement with Henderson permanent if David de Gea signs a new contract at Man United. 

Back in February, Lingard was forced to withdraw from the Nottingham Forest team to face his former side in the Carabao Cup semi-final, which Man United won.   

He did prove himself to be a valuable asset off the pitch, helping to boost morale around the club as Forest kept themselves afloat in the Premier League with a game to spare. 

In a podcast interview earlier in the year, Lingard revealed that he 'was drinking to try to take the pain away' following his struggles at Manchester United.

During the 2019-20 season, his enthusiasm for football drained away, as fans turned abusive, the pressure on him built, and his mother was hospitalised with depression.

'I was drinking before bed, having a nightcap. I look back now and think 'what was I doing that for?' But I needed something to try and take the pain away,' Lingard told The Diary of a CEO Podcast in a candid interview.

'I was trying to forget what was going on. But it makes it 10 times worse.

'You're getting that much abuse, and I'm already down enough, and I've got to perform.

'I was still trying to be Jesse, like banter… banter jokes and all that but, of course it's going to affect me.

'I'm already going through things you don't know about… I felt like the world was on my shoulders.' 

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2023-06-02T11:45:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd