West Ham’s decision not to offer a contract to free agent Jesse Lingard, despite his extensive trial period, has been unveiled. Lingard trained with the Hammers for a significant portion of the summer, even participating in pre-season friendlies. However, a deal failed to materialize, leading the former Manchester United player to embark on a one-month training stint in Saudi Arabia with Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq. According to Football Insider, West Ham manager David Moyes and his coaching team determined that Lingard’s fitness fell short of the Premier League standard. They believed it would take him too long to reach the required level, prompting their decision.
In a broader context, Moyes has shown admiration for Lingard, especially considering the player’s successful loan spell at the London Stadium in 2021. Lingard had returned to Manchester United with hopes of rejuvenating his career but faced disappointment, leading him to leave his hometown club for Nottingham Forest. Following the expiration of his Forest contract, Lingard was released and is now aiming to dispel doubts about his fitness after completing the training program with Al-Ettifaq.