Wayne Rooney's attempt to sign former Manchester United teammate Jesse Lingard for D.C. United fell through due to the latter's contract demands.
The 30-year-old has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of last season following the expiry of his contract. The ex-England captain's MLS outfit were among the clubs to explore the signing of the attacking midfielder, according to Washington Post.
The four-time MLS Cup victors were, however, unable to strike a deal with the free agent with a major stumbling block being the type of deal Lingard was seeking. The 30-year-old wanted a long-term contract which D.C. United were unable to provide, with it proving something of a deal-breaker.
Intriguingly, although the regular MLS summer transfer window closed last month, their free agency window remains open until September 16. That said, the former Old Trafford hero has already stated that the club will not be making any free agent signings.
Previously, Rooney denied that the club was interested in signing the ex-United academy graduate, asserting: "The Jesse Lingard [rumour]? I don't know where that has come from. From my point of view we have no interest in signing him."
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The attacker, who played 17 times for Nottingham Forest last term as they escaped the drop, has already spoken of his desire to keep his options open. He previously told Sky Sports that he is waiting for the right offer, saying: "I'm considering all options."
'I've never ruled out any team or club out, so for me it's just picking the right team and it's got to be right for me. I just want to play football at the end of the day and that's all I want to do."
Jesse Lingard is a free agent after leaving Nottingham Forest (Getty Images)The report also contends that Rooney was keen to bring Ravel Morrison back to the club for a second season. The one-time Red Devils wonderkid has been training with the club of late and made 14 appearances last term.
Rooney had been effusive in his praise for the journeyman midfielder, describing his contributions to the club as 'brilliant'. However, club chiefs ultimately decided against handing him a new deal at Audi Field, instead buying out his deal in the summer.
And the D.C. United boss faces an uncertainty over his own future in the US capital himself, with his current contract set to expire in December. He has called on his bosses at the club to resolve this issue as he looks to start planning for the next campaign.
He told the Washington Post : "We asked to sit down and speak because planning for next season needs to go ahead. So we asked two months ago where everything was at, are we moving forward or not moving forward — if that’s the case from their point of view — and we haven’t heard back."
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