Jesse Lingard closes in on joining new club

Jesse Lingard is once more looking for a new club, being a free agent for the third time in four years since leaving Old Trafford.

Lingard’s Manchester United spell still lands with weight because the highlights came on the biggest stages.

He rose from the academy, beocming a first-team regular, then made some trophy winning contributions with the extra-time winner in the 2016 FA Cup final and a goal in the 2017 League Cup final.

With 232 appearances and 35 goals across his senior stint with The Red Devils, the attacker became known for his sharp timing in the box and relentless off-ball running.

However, after leaving Old Trafford in 2022, Lingard failed to settle anywhere long-term.

Nottingham Forest was a short stop, then FC Seoul became a responsibility move that restored minutes and status, with captaincy and a two-season run before his exit in December 2025.

Now, The Daily Mail has reported that a return to Europe is on the cards for Jesse Lingard.

It’s understood that Lingard has spoken to various Premier League clubs in recent days, but the 33-year-old is in advanced talks with sides in Serie A as he closes in on his next team.

Whilst no team has been specified, he could be yet another former United star to find success in Italy after the rise of Scott McTominay.

Much closer to home, the West Ham conversation has never really gone away.

His 2021 loan remains the purest version of Lingard in full flow, direct carries, late box arrivals, and a headline streak that keeps fuelling the idea of a London return whenever he hits free agency. Any reunion, though, has always depended on timing, role clarity, and squad space.

However, if Italy is the next landing spot, it reads like a choice for structure and a defined role over familiar nostalgia. Jesse Lingard has spent his career proving he can deliver in big moments, and the next milestone is picking the club that gives him the cleanest runway to do it again, the United way.