David Moyes hasn’t dismissed the possibility of Jesse Lingard securing a contract with West Ham, even though the 30-year-old midfielder remains a free agent after his release from Nottingham Forest at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. Lingard spent part of the summer training at Inter Miami’s facility and was also linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Despite not securing a new deal yet, Lingard has made a positive impression during his time back at West Ham.
He rejoined West Ham in August and, behind the scenes, has shown enough improvement to warrant consideration for a more permanent role. Moyes, in response to a talkSPORT inquiry about Lingard’s future at the club, stated, “Jesse has been training with us for three weeks, and he’s shown significant improvement since he first arrived. He’s in excellent physical condition, much better than when he initially joined us. When Jesse first joined us two years ago, he scored nine goals in 15 games and was a key factor in our qualification for Europe. I want to provide him with every opportunity to regain his form and see how he performs. Currently, there’s no concrete update, but I can say that he’s back with us and getting closer to the level of fitness we’d hope for.”
Lingard initially joined West Ham on loan from Manchester United in January 2021, where he rejuvenated his career. However, a permanent transfer wasn’t finalized, and he chose to join Nottingham Forest on a one-year contract in 2022, declining the chance to return to the London Stadium.