JESSE LINGARD has revealed he turned down a lot of money from clubs overseas in favour of his move to Nottingham Forest.
The former Manchester United ace joined Forest this summer on a free transfer.
Lingard, 29, had been linked with moves to both Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer prior to signing his deal with Forest.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “I could have gone abroad for a lot of money but I want to stay in the Premier League.”
The attacking midfielder reportedly signed a deal with Forest worth £150,000 per week.
However, while this value equates to almost £8million-a-year, it pales in comparison to the £10m-a-year he was reportedly offered by a team in Saudi Arabia.
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Man United and England record goalscorer Wayne Rooney was also reportedly keen to bring Lingard to the MLS after taking over as manager of DC United.
Links with former loan club West Ham persisted throughout the summer, and one Hammers fan who is fuming he ditched them is planning to throw fake money at him when they play Forest.
On his move to Forest, Lingard added: “They (Forest) wanted to come to my house and bring me to London in quick succession to try to get the deal done.
“The manager and owners have been great with me – they’ve shown the love and intent to get me to the club.
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“When I see that sort of love, of course I am going to say yes, but it had to be the right deal for me and my family.
“I can see the project they’re building and it’s going to look good this season. I feel a positive vibe around the camp.”
Lingard is set to be included in Steve Cooper’s starting xi as one of a number of new signings as Forest take on Newcastle in their first Premier League game since the new millennium.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
