Lingard is pictured in first training with Al-Ettifaq
Jesse Lingard has been pictured training with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq for the first time since the free agent arrived in the Kingdom in a bid to secure a new contract.
The former Manchester United star played for Nottingham Forest last season but failed to make an impact in Steve Cooper’s side, registering just 17 league appearances during their 2022-23 campaign.
After opting not to extend his one-year contract over the summer, the 30-year-old has been without a club, but has been training with West Ham since the start of August.
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David Moyes’ side ultimately chose not to re-sign the England international after a blistering half-season in 2021, prompting his move to Saudi at the start of this week.
Al-Ettifaq first shared a video of Lingard walking out onto the pitch during a night session overseen by head coach and ex-Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard, captioning the clip: ‘Enjoy Ettifaq’s Wednesday night session featuring a new face’.
In the video, Lingard is seen beaming as he begins to take part in the training, and the club later shared a picture of the player looking similarly delighted.
‘First sighting of Lingard in Ettifaq training. Green fits him well eh?’ the caption read.
Lingard will have limited time to prove his worth to Gerrard in a bid to earn himself a contract at the Saudi club, who currently sit fourth in the league after eight matchdays.
But should he be offered to stay long-term in Damman, the move would see him reunited with a former team-mate.
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Former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson played alongside Lingard during England’s 2018 World Cup campaign in the country’s first major tournament under Gareth Southgate.
Whilst Henderson remains a fixture in Southgate’s set-up, Lingard found himself increasingly sidelined after the competition as his form at Man United dipped.
Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq in an eyebrow-raising move in August for a deal that is thought to garner the player £700,000 per week in wages.