Ex-Man Utd star scores in friendly as he boosts his chances of earning a permanent contract

A former Manchester United star netted a goal on his first senior appearance in six months to boost his hopes of earning a permanent move back into football.

Ex-Red Devils midfielder Jesse Lingard has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer and he has not played a single minute of competitive first team football since April when he appeared in a brief two minute cameo in a defeat to United.

The 30-year-old, who graduated from the academy system in 2011, was an important member of Man Utd’s first team squad for several seasons and he famously scored the winner in the 2016 FA Cup triumph against Crystal Palace.

Lingard’s form at Old Trafford earned him international recognition and he has been capped 32 times for England. His most notable contribution saw him start five of his nation’s World Cup matches in 2018 as they reached the semi-final.

The midfielder ended his 22-year association at Old Trafford in 2022 after limited first team opportunities. He was expected to make a move back to West Ham where he had impressed on loan, but instead opted to join Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest. A mixture of injuries and poor form prevented Lingard from reaching his best form for the club and he failed to score or assist in 17 appearances and was released after one year.

Lingard briefly trained at his former club West Ham, which reignited rumours of a reunion, but David Moyes opted against signing the player. Lingard’s most recent search for first team football has seen him link up with Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, although he is currently on a training contract as he looks to gain fitness. The 30-year-old was handed an opportunity in a friendly game which marked the first-ever game in Al-Ettifaq’s new ground.

Lingard made history in the friendly by scoring the first goal at the stadium after four minutes as Gerrard’s men drew 2-2 with Al-Khalidiya.

The English stars’ celebrations were shown on the club’s Instagram page, while several shots of Lingard have been shown during training sessions where he appears to have bonded with his new teammates.

If Lingard is successful in earning a contract with the Saudi outfit, he will become the second England international to join the club after Jordan Henderson. He would also link up with ex-Premier League stars Gini Wijnaldum, Demari Gray and Moussa Dembele.