England international midfielder Jesse Lingard is reportedly seriously considering playing in MLS after his contract with Premier League powerhouse Manchester United expired. Lingard is set to travel to the United States in the coming days to discuss what ESPN describes as a “ground-breaking” deal.
Lingard has been pursued by a number of Premier League clubs in recent weeks, with Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and West Ham United all being interested in his services. At one point, it seemed his mind was set on West Ham, where he scored nine goals and added five assists during a six-month loan spell in 2020-21, but the aggressive push by MLS clubs prompted him to entertain the possibility of leaving England.
According to ESPN, Lingard is coming to the U.S. with his representatives and will hear out the pitches by interesting clubs. As things currently stand, there are at least two MLS clubs who are willing to make Lingard the highest-paid player in the league and then some.
If Jesse Lingard ends up joining the league, he will follow several other high-profile European stars who came to North America this summer. Italy’s Lorenzo Insigne is set to join Toronto FC, while Welsh forward Gareth Bale decided to join LAFC.
Lingard spent most of his professional career with Manchester United, where he scored 35 goals and added 21 assists in 231 appearances. However, he fell out of favor at Old Trafford in the recent season and only played 22 games in 2021-22.
