JESSE Lingard has completed his move to Corinthians, which will see him reunited with former Manchester United team-mate Memphis.
Corinthians are third in the Brazilian top-flight, after four games, with two wins, a draw and a loss as Lingard looks to bolster their attacking options.
The Manchester United Academy graduate reportedly had other offers after agreeing to a mutual contract termination with FC Seoul this January, but chose Corinthians as his preferred destination.
Lingard continues to look for new challenges as he becomes the first Englishman to play in Brazil’s main division.
Lingard played 232 games for his boyhood club Manchester United, netting 35 goals and producing 21 assists, including the FA Cup final-winning goal against Crystal Palace in 2016.
The attacking midfielder won four trophies during his time at Manchester United: the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Europa league and Community Shield, while scoring in three of these four games.
In January 2021, Lingard made a successful loan move to West Ham, scoring nine goals, before leaving permanently on a free transfer in 2022 to Nottingham Forest.
His Forest spell lasted only 12 months, before he decided it was time for a new challenge by joining K-League side Seoul.
In the Asian city, Lingard played 67 matches, with a respectable 19 goals and 10 assists to his name, as he also captained the capital club.
The United alumni will now begin his next journey in Brazil, where he follows in some former Reds’ footsteps in joining Corinthians.
He will wear the no.77 and said: “First, I saw the fans at the airport chanting ‘Go Corinthians! Go Corinthians!’, you know?
“There’s a lot of passion from the fans, which is wonderful to see. The training centre here is incredible. And the players welcomed me with open arms, the coach, the director, it was great to meet them. My first impressions: very happy, I can’t wait to play.”
Lingard’s one-time team-mate Memphis moved to the club in 2024 and Carlos Tevez played there for a season before joining West Ham United in 2006.
