Jesse Lingard: From "box office" in South Korea to "not even a footballer"

Former Manchester United midfielder struggling to live up to the hype in K-League 1

Jesse Lingard was hands down the worst Premier League transfer signing of 2022-23. For 12 months, the former Manchester United player stole money from Nottingham Forest. Different sources claimed Lingard made as little as just over £4 million and as much as £10 million. It is safe to assume the money he earned playing for Forest was somewhere in between. 

The midfielder played just 20 times for Nottingham Forest for a total of 1,114 minutes. He averaged just over 55 minutes per match. Although he scored two goals and added two assists, Nottingham Forest would have expected more from their marquee signing of the summer of 2022. Sure, Forest signed a boatload of players, but hopes were high that Lingard would be the best of them. Of course, it didn’t work out for Nottingham Forest and Lingard, and his contract expired in the summer of 2023.

Lingard is now playing football in South Korea for K-League 1 outfit FC Seoul, one of the country’s biggest clubs. It was a club I supported while living in South Korea from 2007-09, and a club I had a season ticket for.

According to an article from The Athletic, Lingard is “box office” in South Korea. His signing by the club has been seen as a landmark moment in modern day K-League football. While the ex-England international may be box office off the pitch, he hasn’t come close to being a star player for FC Seoul on it.

It is important to note that Manchester United have a large following in South Korea thanks to former Red Devils player Park Ji-Sung. Due to Park’s success as a Man United player, football fans across the peninsula support the English club.

The love for Manchester United around South Korea is certainly one reason Lingard’s arrival was so anticipated. It was also one reason FC Seoul signed the midfielder after having coaches and scouts watch him train in Manchester over the winter. The Korean club will pay Lingard around £1m per year over the course of a two-year contract. It isn’t the same amount he made while playing in the Premier League, but it is a great sum of money for a 31-year-old player.

There are claims that Lingard turned down 25 clubs before signing for FC Seoul. This is may not be an accurate claim, but the Korean Red Devils were likely the only club to offer as much money to him. 

FC Seoul are apparently reaping the rewards of signing the Englishman, but they may not experience the same excitement from fans as the K-League 1 season continues. Lingard has played just three times in the league, racking up a total of just 105 minutes (35 minutes per game). Two of his appearances were off the substitutes bench. Lingard’s only start lasted just 60 minutes. His only contribution has been two yellow cards. 

FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-Dong has already criticised Lingard for his lack of effort on the pitch. After a 2-0 win over Jeju United last Saturday, Kim said of Lingard post-match: “He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn’t work hard and avoided tussle. If you run less than a footballer who has played 90 minutes, you’re not even a footballer. Fame doesn’t win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player.” 

Giving Lingard the benefit of the doubt, he hadn’t played competitive football for seven to eight months before joining FC Seoul. Although, some Nottingham Forest fans will argue Lingard hasn’t played regular football in longer after being a part-time player with the Premier League team. 

Lingard’s move to South Korea to continue his career reminds me of another former FC Seoul player. In March 2008, FC Seoul signed former Atletico Madrid and Manchester City midfielder Kike Musampa to a two-year contract. Musampa was a graduate of Ajax’s famous youth academy, and after a long career in Europe, headed to South Korea to play aged 30.

Asian football journalist John Duerden spoke with Musampa when he joined FC Seoul. The midfielder spoke of wanting to experience a new challenge. Having trained with MLS club Toronto FC in 2008, Musampa decided that the Canadian team and the North American league wasn’t right for him.

In the end he chose FC Seoul due to the club having “prestige”. When asked if he was playing in South Korea for a “payday”, Musampa replied: “I came here because it is a new challenge for me. I want people to remember me in a good way. I am still 30 and still ambitious and came to do what I do all the time and make a difference.”

I was on hand in Seoul’s World Cup Stadium, the home of FC Seoul, to see Musampa play against Incheon United. The midfielder was class and despite being out of his prime, he was a step ahead of every player on the pitch. But Musampa’s career in South Korea was short. Although he signed a two-year contract, he stayed for just five matches before departing. 

Lingard’s arrival at FC Seoul is similar to Musampa’s. An ageing player on the wrong side of 30 seeking to continue their career, while receiving a large salary. Yet, the motivation to play may not be there. In terms of name, Lingard is far bigger to fans worldwide than Musampa’s was over 15 years ago. Part of that is due to the growth of football over the last two decades. It is also due to Lingard being more in the limelight and good at self-promotion. 

The former Manchester United player’s time at FC Seoul could also mirror Musampa’s. With a manager already unhappy with his effort, Lingard could be looking for a new team sooner rather than later. Musampa lasted five games with the Korean Red Devils. Lingard should beat the Dutchman’s figure, but he may not finish his two-year contract.