Jesse Lingard turned down offers from two Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, before joining Nottingham Forest, according to a new report.
The 31-year-old attacking midfielder left boyhood club Manchester United when his contract expired at the end of June last year.
He eventually signed a lucrative one-year deal with newly-promoted Nottingham Forest; a contract that was worth a reported £115,000 per week plus incentives.
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But the former England international was released in June after failing to register a single goal or assist in 17 Premier League appearances for Steve Cooper's side.
Since his departure from the City Ground this summer, Lingard has been linked with a host of clubs, including Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ettifaq.
In fact, Lingard trained with Steven Gerrard's side in September but a move failed to materialise as negotiations reportedly collapsed due to disagreements over wage terms.
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The former West Ham loanee remains a free agent ahead of the January transfer window but things could have been very different had he signed for another Premier League club.
According to The Athletic, both Newcastle United and Fulham had proposed offers to Lingard following his departure from Old Trafford last summer, with four-year deals on the table.
Instead, he decided to pen a one-year contract at Nottingham Forest rather than the club's offer of a two-year arrangement, and the rest is history.
As mentioned above, Lingard trained with Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in the summer but it appears wage demands became a stumbling block.
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According to talkSPORT, the Manchester United academy product wanted around £7 million per year, which was far more than Al Ettifaq’s budget, believed to have been closer to £4.35 million.
Back in June, Lingard spoke about a potential move to Saudi Arabia. “I'm considering all options," he said, "I've never ruled out any team or club out, so for me it's just picking the right team and it's got to be right for me.
“Saudi Arabia are doing big things, and in the next couple of years or so, it will be one of the hotspots to go to.”
Lingard continued: “I'm not really surprised that the big names are moving out there. Like I say, they're doing big things and it's something I would consider as well – I've not ruled that out either.
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“It's got to be right for me at the end of the day. I've got to go on my gut feeling but I'm still hungry and striving for success.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty ImagesTopics: Jesse Lingard, Manchester United, Premier League, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Transfers
