Jesse Lingard's new agents reach out to Portland Timbers over a free transfer

Jesse Lingard's new agents have been exploring possibilities in the MLS market over the weekend with Portland Timbers among those sounded out.

Lingard has changed his representatives as he strives to find a new club. He has been a free agent since leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer.

While he has trained with West Ham and Al-Ettifaq, clubs have found it difficult to come to an agreement over a deal for the 31-year-old.

Lingard has been training hard in the gym and hopes to convince suitors with his new management.

The MLS holds an interest with the likes of Portland understood to be one of the clubs monitoring Lingard.

As revealed by Mail Sport at the weekend, Lingard dismissed his previous agent representatives in his dramatic bid to secure a deal with a new club this year.

He is thought to be frustrated with a number of contract offers failing to develop and has remained a free agent for six months despite past interest from overseas.

His last taste of competitive action came in April and that is something he is desperate to rectify.

He underlined that once again at the weekend when he took to Instagram to share a bullish message.

Sharing an image of himself on the training field, Lingard also added a second picture with a message that read: 'My focus is different. My time is being invested in growth. I don't expect people to understand what I'm up to. Eventually, they will.'

The caption for the overall post said: 'High vibrations and good energy only!'

He made 20 appearances during his brief spell with Forest, scoring two goals.

Prior to his stint at the City Ground, Lingard enjoyed a superb loan spell at West Ham in 2021 and scored an impressive nine goals in his 16 appearances.

Lingard won the Europa League, FA Cup and the Carabao Cup with Manchester United and played 232 games for the first-team after progressing from the academy.

He has also been handed 32 England caps, the latest of which came in 2021.

Recently, United legend Paul Scholes jokingly hit out at Lingard in his Instagram comments after the winger posted several pictures of himself working out in the gym.

Scholes wrote: 'Are you just gonna f*** about in the gym or are you gonna actually play football?' The iconic former midfielder later reacted to a further post of Lingard training on a pitch, commenting: 'There we go Jess... a ball.'