At around 5:00 p.m., “the one” finally made his appearance amidst a crowd of FC Seoul fans and media. The arrival of England international midfielder Jesse Lingard, 32, resembled a concert.
Lingard arrived in South Korea through Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on May 5. Lingard, who is about to join FC Seoul, is considered to have the best ‘name value’ among foreign players who have played in the K League. He is a star player who has played 32 games (6 goals) for the England national team and scored 35 goals in 232 official matches for English Premier League (EPL) giants Manchester United.
After leaving United to join Nottingham at the end of the 2021-2022 season, Lingard lost his place in the starting lineup and has yet to find a club after the 2022-2023 season. For Korean fans, he once played with Park Ji-Sung at Man United and is known for his unique flute-blowing gesture.
When news of Lingard’s arrival first broke, many were skeptical, but when he posted a photo on his Instagram account on May 5 of himself waiting to pick up his luggage at London’s Heathrow Airport, Seoul fans went into a frenzy.
About 200 Seoul fans gathered in Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport when Lingard arrived. Lee Jae-hoo (18), who was wearing a Seoul jersey, said, “I’m a Seoul fan and I couldn’t stand it. It’s like the name ‘Lingard’ is beating my heart,” said Lee, 18, a Seoul fan.
Lingard, who arrived about an hour behind schedule after his flight was delayed, smiled and waved to the crowd of fans, then went up to those chanting “Jesse” and signed autographs and took photos with them.
Lingard, who is said to have agreed on many of the details of his contract with Seoul, will undergo a medical test on June 6 and sign the contract on July 7 if all goes well.
Lingard will meet the Korean fans at an introductory 에볼루션 바카라사이트 press conference on Aug. 8, and will then join the Seoul squad for a training camp in Kagoshima, Japan.
Lingard’s arrival was met with excitement from the Seoul squad. In particular, midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, 35, was thrilled. He has played against Lingard in the past while playing for Swansea City in the EPL. Speaking to reporters in Kagoshima, Ki said, “I’m curious about Lingard’s motivation for choosing Seoul. He hasn’t played much for a year or two, but he can go to a better place if he wants to. Of course, I have high expectations.” He smiled broadly.
“Lingard has not only played well for the national team, but also has a lot of experience,” Ki Sung-yueng said, “It’s important to show what you have on the field. “It’s important to show how much he can do on the pitch, rather than having doubts about his ability.