Forward Jesse Lingard is said to be preparing to sign for Feyenoord, a team currently led by a Man Utd icon.
According to Daily Mail, coach Robin van Persie, a former Manchester United player, is eager to reunite with Jesse Lingard after Feyenoord was forced to look for reinforcements following the serious injury of Shaqueel, the club’s young player and also Van Persie’s son. Van Persie admitted the situation “looks bleak” based on early signs and shared his emotional struggle as both a coach and a father.
In this context, Lingard has become a notable option. The English midfielder is currently a free agent after nearly two years playing in the K League for FC Seoul, where he appeared in 67 games, scored 19 goals, and provided 10 assists. His consistent performance in South Korea has kept him on the radar of many clubs.
During the January transfer window, Lingard negotiated with several clubs in England and Italy but did not reach an agreement. Feyenoord has only recently entered the race but is very serious about signing him, especially as the team needs additional players for the upcoming period.
Lingard broke into Manchester United’s first team around 2014, when Van Persie was nearing the end of his career at Old Trafford. Although they never played together in an official match, they trained alongside each other and now might reunite in Rotterdam after more than a decade. Sources say Lingard wants to decide on his next club before the end of next week.
Lingard’s last appearance in Europe was with Nottingham Forest in the 2022/23 season, following Manchester United’s decision not to renew his contract. Prior to that, he had a memorable loan spell at West Ham. Recently speaking to the Guardian Lingard mentioned he is open to considering various destinations for the next stage of his career, ranging from Europe to Saudi Arabia or the UAE.