Jesse Lingard

Football pundit Micah Richards has leapt to the defence of Nottingham Forest midfielder Jesse Lingard, amid ongoing criticism of the player.

“There was a list the other day of the top ten most abused players, and Cristiano Ronaldo was at the top. And now he’s bad for going to Nottingham Forest? It’s just pathetic.” Some of this criticism seemed personal, with Lingard questioned for his choices off the football pitch rather than on it. “I actually looked – and this is like a false narrative because people say all he does is go on TikTok. He’s literally only got like nine videos. “I think now people say personalities [are important] because [the likes of] Jesse Lingard goes on TikTok,” he said. Few of the interested parties could afford his high demands, but Nottingham Forest made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Michail Antonio insists he knows why Jesse Lingard snubbed a move to West Ham in favour of joining Nottingham Forest this summer.

It’s a great signing for Forest and I put it down to that he wanted to go somewhere he can just play week-in week-out because at West Ham there’s loads of competition.” And Antonio thinks he knows exactly why Lingard went to Forest… Lingard was a huge hit with West Ham during his loan spell in East London midway through the 2020/21 campaign.

Jesse Lingard enjoyed a successful loan spell at West Ham during the 2020-21 season but signed for Forest last month.

They’ve not wanted to come to the club or we’ve not got the financial deal right," he said. “We’ve made bids for numerous, numerous bids. “I was surprised, yeah.

The former Manchester United winger turned down a move back to West Ham in favour of joining recently-promoted Nottingham Forest.

“We've made bids for numerous, numerous players. The England international was offered the chance to link up again with Moyes and the Hammers, but instead decided to join recently-promoted Forest on a one-year contract. Lingard left Old Trafford earlier this summer after 22 years with United, having come through the club’s academy.

Jesse Lingard swapped Manchester United for Nottingham Forest this summer, and some pundits are not impressed with the transfer.

My daughter's had a huge part to play in that as well, so I can be local to her. The decision appears to be a mature one, but Lingard has received plenty of criticism in the past for his behaviour off the pitch. When I see that sort of love, of course I'm going to say yes.

Nottingham Forest news from NottinghamshireLive as West Ham boss David Moyes speaks about Jesse Lingard's move to the City Ground.

The level of player you’re looking to buy, what that costs, is harder to get. Genuine bids and genuine money, and for different reasons we’ve not got them. But instead he turned down European football with West Ham to join promoted Forest on a one-year contract.

West Ham United manager David Moyes says he was surprised at Jesse Lingard's decision to join West Ham after club chiefs did "everything they could" to sign ...

They certainly did.” “I was surprised, yeah. But Forest swooped in and landed their man in one of the biggest transfer shocks of the window, leaving Moyes perplexed by the saga as it came to an unhappy and abrupt end for the Hammers faithful.

Latest Nottingham Forest news from NottinghamshireLive brings you Rio Ferdinand's comments over Lingard's switch to the City Ground.

Jesse, I just feel West Ham was such a great fit, will he be smiling at Nottingham Forest when they don’t have the ball? "West Ham was on the table. "No [not the right choice to join Forest]," Ferdinand told FIVE.