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 return to the Premier League .
But Lingard, 30, played just 20 times for the club and failed to score a league goal or provide an assist.
Forest confirmed on Friday that Lingard would be leaving and would not be offered a contract extension.
Lingard struggled to break into Steve Cooper’s Forest squad, ultimately making just one assist during his year at the club, while his only goals came in the Carabao Cup campaign, which saw them reach the semi-finals.
Jesse Lingard has been released by Nottingham Forest after one season at the City Ground
Lingard struggled to break into Steve Cooper’s Forest side after being hit hard by injuries
Lingard has failed to score a league goal for Nottingham Forest since joining in the summer
The 30-year-old rose through the youth ranks at Man United but struggled to break into their team on a regular basis, despite enjoying a fruitful career 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 outfit were keen to sign him permanently, but they were ultimately beaten to his signature.
THE ROAD OF THE LINGARD TORRID FOREST
Games: 20
Objectives: 2
Assists: 2
Last appearance: April 16 against Man United
Total minutes: 1,114
Forest swooped 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 will spark rumors about Lingard’s next destination, with a spell away from the Premier League planned for the 30-year-old.
The club confirmed the completion of contracts linking six senior players to the clubwith Andre Ayew, Cafu, Jack Colback, Jordan Smith and Lyle Taylor also out.
The official statement read: “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 activating an option that was placed on 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 Newcastle’s Chris Wood’s loan permanent when the transfer window opens.
Forest are expected to make Henderson’s loan deal permanent if David de Gea signs a new deal at Man United.
Lingard was forced to withdraw from Nottingham Forest’s squad to face Man United in February
The 30-year-old was one of six senior players announced to be leaving Forest on Friday
Lingard has been tipped to move away from the Premier League for his next challenge
In February, Lingard was forced to withdraw from the Nottingham Forest squad to face his former side in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, which Man United won.
He proved a valuable asset off the pitch, helping boost the club’s morale as Forest stayed afloat in the Premier League with a game to spare.
In a podcast interview earlier this year, Lingard revealed he was “drinking to try and take the pain away” following his struggles at Manchester United.
During the 2019–20 season, his enthusiasm for football faded as fans became abusive, pressure on him increased and his mother was hospitalized with depression.
‘I was drinking before going to bed, having a nightcap. Now I look back and think “why was I doing that?” 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 so much abuse, and I’m already down enough, and I have to act.
“I was still trying to be Jesse, like jokes… jokes and all that, but of course it’s going to affect me.
“I’m already going through things you don’t know… I felt like the world was on my shoulders.”
