Jesse Lingard's High Wage Demands May Hinder Saudi Pro League Transfer

Jesse Lingard's prospective transfer to the Saudi Professional League may be in jeopardy due to his high wage demands.

Lingard, who is currently a free agent after his one-year contract with Nottingham Forest ended following the 22/23 season, has been training with his former club, West Ham United. Despite impressing manager David Moyes, The Athletic reports that the Hammers have decided against signing the 30-year-old.

Recently, Lingard started training with Saudi Arabian team Al Ettifaq, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. While Gerrard is reportedly interested in signing Lingard, there appears to be a financial obstacle.

According to talkSPORT, Lingard is seeking an annual salary of around £7 million, significantly more than Al Ettifaq's budget of approximately £4.35 million.

Moyes expressed no disappointment about Lingard training with Al-Ettifaq, stating, "We like Jesse a lot but I just don't know if we need another player in his position.”

In June, Lingard spoke to Sky Sports about the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia. He stated that he was considering all options and had not ruled out any team or club. He also mentioned that Saudi Arabia was making significant strides and could become a hotspot for football in the coming years.

Lingard added that he was not surprised by the big names moving to Saudi Arabia and that he would also consider such a move if it felt right for him. He emphasized that he was still hungry for success.