Picture Credit: Twitter
England midfielder Jesse Lingard has left his boyhood club Manchester United after a 22-year stint with the club. The Warrington-born join the Red Devils originally in their Under-9s team in 2001 and rose up the ranks from the youth squads to the first team. His first splash on the big stage was the 2011 FA Youth Cup win, where he scored in the first leg of the 6-3 aggregate final victory over Sheffield United.
Addressing his departure from the club, Lingard posted a heartfelt message on Twitter that said, “Born and bred a red. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been emotional leaving a club that is family. After 22 years I’ve had so many special memories and moments that I will cherish forever.”
“I’m a red through and through and Manchester United will always remain in my heart. Thank you to the players I’ve played with over the years I’ve made friends for life and we’ve had a lot of fun along the way,” he continued.
“I want to say a big thank you to the coaches that I have worked under from the age of 9 to present. Each coach has helped me in many different ways and I appreciate the way each coach believed in me and taught me something different. A massive thank you to all the staff behind the scenes from dinner ladies to the cleaners to the kitmen because everyone has played a role in where I am today.”
Jesse Lingard made his first-team debut at the age of 21 in August 2014. He then became an important player in the 2015-16 campaign where he made 40 appearances across all competitions. Then in the subsequent few seasons, he had a key role under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho but was dropped altogether by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 2020-21 season.
He then moved to West Ham halfway through the 2020-21 season and put up some incredible performances in a starring role for the Hammers. The 29-year-old returned to Old Trafford this season and played in just 22 games for the club. In his time in Manchester, Lingard made Overall 232 appearances and scored 35 goals.