“False promises,” Jesse Lingard blames Manchester United and former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for his exit
Emily Schmidt
Updated on March 31, 2026
Jesse Lingard has called out Manchester United for making false promises to him during his last season with the club. The England international, who invested 20 years at Old Trafford, is still upset about how his time there closed before moving to Nottingham Forest.
The 30-year-old netted the game-winning goal against Crystal Palace in the 2016 FA Cup final. However, he never truly had an impact on the team and was transferred after his contract expired last season.
The Englishman criticized the club for offering untrue assurances to him about match time last season in an interview with The Telegraph. He admitted it was disappointing to be on the bench during the previous season because he worked hard but didn’t receive sufficient minutes in the end. Those guarantees came from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who promised Lingard regular games when he came back following an outstanding loan spell at West Ham.
“I don’t know what the problem was, whether it was politics or whatever. I still haven’t got an answer to this day,” Lingard spoke to The Telegraph before Forest’s visit to Manchester United on Tuesday. “It was false promises. I was training hard and I was sharp, I was ready to play … When you’re working hard in training and don’t play at the end of it, it’s very frustrating,” he added. Lingard later moved to Nottingham Forest as a free agent.
🚨 Jesse Lingard: “I don’t know why I wasn’t playing [At Manchester United] I don’t know what the problem was, whether it was politics or whatever.” @JPercyTelegraph 🔴
— Rokani Media Football (@RokaniMediaFB) December 26, 2022
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Jesse Lingard’s stint at Manchester United
Jesse Lingard, who entered Manchester United’s academy at seven, advanced through the ranks to the club’s first team. During the 2014-15 Premier League season, he completed his first appearance for the club. He made his first-team debut in August 2014 at 21. He emerged as a critical player in the 2015-16 season, appearing in 40 games across all competitions.
Then, in the following seasons, he played a crucial part under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho before being dropped entirely by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The former Manchester United player shifted to West Ham midway through the 2020-21 season, where he laid in some fantastic showings as a regular starter. Last season, the then 29-year-old reverted to Old Trafford and appeared within only 22 games for the team. Lingard appeared in 232 games for Manchester United and netted 35 goals.
Easy to explain. #JesseLingard had a big mouth and soft feet, misplaced priorities, and all the bad characteristics for a footballer. His play on the pitch was not of good quality. He never used to fight for the ball, the type that seeks the ball to come to them.
— Colin Jeche (@jeche_colin) December 27, 2022
The present Nottingham Forest player addressed his exit from the club with a wholehearted text on Twitter, writing, “Born and bred a red. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been emotional about leaving a club that is family. After 22 years I’ve had so many special memories and moments that I will cherish forever.”
