Jesse Lingard reveals why he joined Nottingham Forest despite West Ham interest

Jesse Lingard has revealed the aggressiveness of Nottingham Forest's interest in his services led to him ultimately choosing to move to the newly-promoted club.

The attacking midfielder signed a year long deal which will see him take home close to £200,000 per week if all bonuses are met.

Following an impressive loan spell at London Stadium during the 2020/21 campaign, Lingard was widely expected to opt for a move back to West Ham United.

The 29-year-old, instead, decided to join Forest and when asked by The Athletic about the decision, he said: "They showed me love, they were very aggressive with their approach. You love that, you want to see that love and they've showed intent for me to come to the club."

Lingard also hinted that Dean Henderson - who recently left Man Utd for Forest on loan - played a part in the move, stating: "I spoke to Dean quite a bit.

"He said the manager was top drawer and that the club had a really good set-up. I feel good. I'll bring excitement. When I play regular football, that's when you'll see the best of Jesse Lingard."

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When asked about his ambitions ahead of the 2022/23 season, Lingard stated that an England recall is at the top of his list: "I like to keep them close to my chest but obviously England's a big one with the World Cup coming up.

"The most important thing is team goals and I really think we can do big things this season."