Former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, who is currently a free agent, has been linked with a shock move to European giants Barcelona.
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- Lingard looking for new club
- Training alone in Dubai
- Linked with Barcelona move
- Getty/Instagram
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 31-year-old has been in search for a new team since his contract at Nottingham Forest expired last summer. The attacking midfielder has been training on his own in Dubai to keep up his fitness, in the hope a club may recruit him, and now he has been 'offered' to Barcelona, according to Spanish publication Sport.
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- Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The former Manchester United man had trials at West Ham and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in late 2023 but neither move came to fruition. After these setbacks, talk of a move to Barca seems fanciful but says the ex-England international has 'put himself within the reach' of the club and the fact he is a free agent fits into their Financial Fair Play budget, so long as he plays for less than €2 million (£1.7m) for the rest of the season.
- Getty
DID YOU KNOW?
Before signing for Forest in 2022, the former West Ham loan star reportedly had long-term offers from Newcastle United and Fulham on the table, but he chose to go to the City Ground on a more lucrative deal – only for the move to fail dramatically.
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WHAT NEXT?
While Lingard looks to resurrect his career, something he vowed to do in 2024, he will continue to train alone in Dubai. He has been linked with a move to a MLS team but that has not yet come to pass. The former Forest man will not want to be inactive for too long, and a fresh start at Barca would put him right back into the spotlight.