Jesse Lingard has claimed he "didn't feel like he could voice his opinion" when he signed for Nottingham Forest over preferred choice West Ham United three years ago.
Lingard was a wanted man back in the summer of 2022 after a star turn on loan at West Ham from Manchester United but he wasn't a big hit at the City Ground, where injuries and form restricted him to just 12 Premier League starts before he was released at the end of a lucrative 12-month contract.
It would prove a defining time in his career as he went from on the fringes of the England squad to not having a club for eight months and finally finding a new home in South Korea. He has been playing for FC Seoul since February last year.
"The Forest deal, when we were going through that - and I don't want to go into too much detail - but I wasn't in control of anything at that time," the 32-year-old told BBC Sport.
"I basically didn't have a choice. I knew what I wanted to do, I knew what offer was on the table from West Ham and what was on offer from Forest - there was a place I'd have preferred to go.
"But people have their own say and at the time I didn't really feel like I could voice my opinion.
"Now I can see people didn't have my best interests [at heart]. But obviously West Ham didn't happen. I went to Forest. The Forest thing happened for a reason, for me to find out certain things."
Lingard has scored 10 times in 42 appearances for FC Seoul and insists he is enjoying life 5,500 miles away from where he grew up in Warrington. His contract runs until the end of the K-League season in November but his club have an option for another 12 months.
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He said: "I've been injury-free the whole season, taking care of my body, recovering better, eating the right foods. Being professional.
"In England I had my chef and personal trainer with me. Here it is totally different. I've got to do it on my own."
He added: "I'm out here to find peace. Happiness is peace at the end of the day. If you can find that, it doesn't matter where you are.
"I'm still playing football and I'm enjoying myself. I still have many years of playing football ahead of me - I'm 32 but the stats don't show that I'm 32.
"I can play for a long time. It has 100 per cent been the right choice. It was a fresh start, to get my happiness back playing football, that was the main thing. It's been an amazing experience. Different cultures, the people are amazing, the city is amazing.
"I feel I've come on leaps and bounds mentally. I think the move has improved my outlook on life."
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