Jesse Lingard approached for Manchester United reunion after manager's personal anguish: report

SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 25: Jesse Lingard #10 of FC Seoul celebrating his second goal and the team's third goal during the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26 East Region Group Stage match between Shanghai Port and FC Seoul at Pudong Football Stadium on November 25, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Jesse Lingard in the Asian Champions League (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jesse Lingard left Old Trafford in 2022, joining Nottingham Forest for one season where he scored twice in 20 appearances across all competitions.

The move ended his 22-year association with Manchester United, whom he had joined as a youngster back in 2000.

Jesse Lingard approached for possible Manchester United reunion

Jesse Lingard celebrates after scoring for West Ham against Leeds, 2021

Jesse Lingard celebrates after scoring for West Ham against Leeds, 2021 (Image credit: Alamy)

Lingard signed for FC Seoul in 2024 and represented the capital club until December last year, only recently announcing he would be moving on after terminating his contract with the K League side.

The 33-year-old looks likely to return to Europe but a Premier League move may be out of the question at this stage of Lingard's career, coupled with the fact he has not been playing in a competition where the level is comparative to England's top flight.

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Lingard is reportedly a target for clubs overseas, though, including one currently coached by a former Old Trafford teammate.

Robin van Persie's Feyenoord currently sit second in the Dutch Eredivisie standings, heading the chasing pack behind runaway leaders PSV Eindhoven. The ex-Arsenal and Manchester United striker took the Feyenoord job 12 months ago after a brief spell as Heerenveen boss, also in his homeland.

According to Football Insider, Lingard has been 'sounded out' by Van Persie to see whether he would entertain the prospect of playing in the Netherlands.

The Rotterdam club were eliminated from this season's UEFA Europa League in the league phase having lost six of their eight fixtures, meaning a return to European competition may be some way off yet, if Lingard had his eye on a big stage comeback.

The Feyenoord boss, meanwhile, is without one of his attacking players for the remainder of the season, who also happens to be his son. Shaqueel van Persie sustained a serious knee injury during Feyenoord's 2-1 Europa League defeat by Real Betis last month and was stretchered from the field, a sight his father and manager described as 'heartbreaking'.

Robin van Persie looks on during the Dutch Eredivisie football match between Sparta Rotterdam and Feyenoord Rotterdam at Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel in Rotterdam, on August 31, 2025.

Robin van Persie is Feyenoord manager these days (Image credit: Getty Images)

"The first signs don't look good," Van Persie Snr. said, as quoted by ESPN. "That's heartbreaking as a coach, and in this particular case, as a father."

Lingard, therefore, could provide much-needed cover for the Dutch club who have only the league to concentrate on for the remainder of the campaign, after being eliminated from the KNVB Cup by Van Persie's former employers Heerenveen.

There is no time limit on when Lingard must sign for a new club by as the ex-Old Trafford man is currently a free agent. He scored 19 goals in 67 outings for FC Seoul.

Joe Donnohue
Senior Digital Writer

Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

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