It’s hard to believe that Jesse Lingard was once a regular for club and country given how far his star has fallen over the past 18 months or so.
After leaving Man United and having the chance to join West Ham at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, a team where he’d enjoyed a superb loan spell, Lingard decided to go where the money was and took a one-season deal at Nottingham Forest.
The standard of the player’s performance never really matched his true capabilities, with transfermarkt noting that he only managed two goals and two assists during his time at the City Ground – and none came in the Premier League.
With no clubs coming in for him over the summer, he managed to get a month’s training in back at the Hammers, it was thought with a view to earning a contract.
However, he was recently pictured training with Saudi Pro League side, Al Ettifaq, currently managed by Steven Gerrard.
According to Football Insider sources, it’s now become clear why that’s the case, and it has to do with the player’s lack of fitness.
Whilst it can’t be said that Lingard has ‘let himself go,’ the outlet report that West Ham had decided that it would take far too long for him to get back to the fitness levels required for a Premier League midfielder.
That would also suggest why no other English top-flight clubs decided on taking him before the closure of the recent window.