Jesse Lingard, after being without a club since departing Nottingham Forest last summer and recently parting ways with his agents, has finalized a move to FC Seoul in South Korea.
Lingard, frustrated by the lack of concrete offers following his exit from Forest, had come close to joining Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia back in October, only for the deal to collapse.
Seeking a fresh start in a new country, the 31-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the possibility of extending for another year.
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He would join a select group of English players to have competed in the K-League, which includes Jamie Cureton and Jordan Mutch among others.
FC Seoul’s recent league finishes have seen them land in seventh or ninth place in the 12-team South Korean league over the past four seasons.
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Jesse Lingard’s Career
Throughout his illustrious career, Lingard has accumulated a trophy cabinet that includes the Europa League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup, all won during his time at Manchester United, where he amassed 232 appearances after rising through the ranks of the club’s academy.
During his brief stint at Nottingham Forest, Lingard made 20 appearances and found the net twice.
Before his time at the City Ground, Lingard had a standout loan spell at West Ham in 2021, scoring an impressive nine goals in 16 appearances.
On the international stage, Lingard has earned 32 caps for England, with his most recent appearance dating back to 2021.
Reports about Jesse Lingard’s salary at FC Seoul are circulating in South Korea.
Lingard is on the verge of finalizing a two-year contract with Seoul after flying out on Sunday night to conclude negotiations and undergo a medical examination.
If the rumored salary is accurate, the 31-year-old could potentially become the highest-paid player in the K-League.
According to Chosun Ilbo, via Korea JoongAng Daily, two prominent news outlets in the country, Lingard could earn around £17,500 per week, totaling £910,000 per year.
While still a substantial sum, it marks a significant difference from Lingard’s previous contract at Manchester United, where he earned £100,000 per week in 2017.
Sunday night saw the 31-year-old sharing a photo on Instagram from the airport, showcasing his luggage adorned with his JLingz fashion label as he readied to board a Korean Air flight.
Last month, eyebrows were raised amid reports suggesting Lingard had ambitiously offered his services to Barcelona.
In a recent light-hearted exchange on Instagram, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes jokingly teased Lingard in the comments section after the winger shared multiple gym workout pictures.
Scholes wrote: ‘Are you just gonna f*** about in the gym or are you gonna actually play football?’
The renowned ex-midfielder responded to another of Lingard’s training session posts, humorously commenting, “There we go Jess… a ball.”
