Your latest Nottingham Forest headlines from NottinghamshireLive on Friday, December 16.
Jesse Lingard reveals reasons for Man Utd exit and Nottingham Forest transfer after West Ham snub
Nottingham Forest summer signing Jesse Lingard has revealed he felt more wanted by the Reds than any other club during the last transfer window.
After leaving Manchester United at the end of his contract, Lingard was a free agent and without a club for much of the month of July before a free transfer to the Reds was agreed.
West Ham United, where the player spent five months on loan during the second half of the 2020/21 season, did everything they could to sign the player permanently, a fact recently revealed by their manager, David Moyes.
Jesse Lingard breaks silence on Nottingham Forest future ahead of January transfer window
Nottingham Forest midfielder Jesse Lingard admits that he does not know what the future holds for him at the club after signing on a free transfer from Manchester United last summer.
Lingard, 30, signed just a one-year contract when completing a move to the City Ground in July. That means, in theory, the player could begin negotiating with clubs outside of England as soon as New Year's Day ahead of potentially signing a pre-contract agreement to secure a move overseas at the end of this season.
The former England international has made 14 appearances for the Reds to date, finally scoring his first goal while wearing Garibaldi against Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup third round tie. Lingard also assisted his first goal for a teammate earlier in that match, setting up Atlético Madrid loanee Renan Lodi for the opener in what ended up being a 2-0 win.
Nottingham Forest notebook: Trio return, special connection, deal signed and a meeting to watch for
Nottingham Forest have less than a week to go before they are back in action after the winter break.
Before then, Steve Cooper ’s side have one final friendly to play as part of their preparations for the season’s resumption. They make the trip to face Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium on Friday night (6.30pm kick-off UK time).
Afterwards, it will be all systems go for a Carabao Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers on December 21, followed by a visit to Old Trafford for the Reds’ first Premier League game back, on December 27. As the restart nears, here’s our round-up of the latest goings-on at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest's nice touch as Valencia friendly to be special occasion
Historical ties will come to the fore when Nottingham Forest face Valencia in their final winter friendly on Friday night.
The two clubs have a proud association with each other from past meetings. And it is set to be another memorable occasion when they play at the Mestalla Stadium (6.30pm kick-off UK time), in what is the Reds’ final run-out before the season resumes.
The friendly forms part of Valencia’s celebrations to mark the centenary of their home ground. Forest are set to wear a special all-red kit for the game, just as they did when they became the first European side to visit the Mestalla and compete in an official match, in the Fairs Cup in 1961.
