“I started crying again” – Ex-Manchester United star opens up on ‘emotional’ Old Trafford exit

Former Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard stated that he was devastated to leave Old Trafford after spending 22 years at the club.

Lingard enrolled in Manchester United's youth academy at the tender age of seven. The England international spent the majority of his professional career at Old Trafford, apart from loan spells at various outfits including Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 30-year-old registered 232 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring 35 goals and picking up 21 assists.

Reflecting on his time at Manchester, the Englishman said (via @UtdDistrict on Twitter):

"My brother said to me, 'How does it feel leaving Man Utd after 22 years?' and I just broke down. I started crying again. I was there pretty much all my life. All I've ever known is Manchester United. To leave was emotional."

Lingard also opened up about Manchester United's last home game of the 2021/22 season, a fixture that he failed to get any minutes in as then-manager Ralf Ragnick did not bring him on as a substitute. He was understandably upset for not getting the chance to bid farewell to the fans and receive a proper send-off.

He stated:

"It was the last home game, and he [Rangnick] didn't put me on. I just thought, can you not put me on, even if it was just for the last five minutes so I can clap the fans and have a send-off? I felt like I deserved that, to be honest."

Lingard moved to Nottingham Forest on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United in the summer and has made 13 Premier League appearances this season.

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"It was false promises" - Jesse Lingard blasts Manchester United after complicated Old Trafford exit

Jesse Lingard failed to understand why he was unable to find game time at Manchester United. The Englishman returned to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 after a loan spell at West Ham United, where he recorded nine goals and five assists in 16 appearances.

Despite a successful campaign at West Ham, Lingard averaged around only 22 minutes per game in 16 appearances the following season at Old Trafford. The English forward has slammed Man Utd for the way they treated him.

He told The Telegraph (via GOAL):

"I don’t know what the problem was, whether it was politics or whatever. I still haven’t got an answer to this day. I didn’t even ask. I’d rather that someone out of respect for me being there that long told me, ‘This is why you’re not playing’, but I never got that. It was false promises."

He added:

"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. So this is a chance to say my goodbyes because I never really got that. It will be an enjoyable occasion but we want to win the game. You can’t get caught up too much in it emotionally."