Jesse Lingard has joined Corinthians as a free agent. The former Manchester United midfielder arrives after leaving South Korean club FC Seoul in December.
Lingard Follows Depay’s Advice
Lingard had offers from other clubs. However, after a quick call to his former United team-mate Depay, he was in no doubt about his decision. He booked a flight even before a verbal agreement was in place.
The siren will sound once again in eastern Sao Paulo as Corinthians introduce Lingard as their new signing. It’s a tradition that has endured since the 1960s when Corinthians unveil a big signing at their social club headquarters, Parque Sao Jorge.
This tradition was in place with Socrates, Rivaldo, Carlos Tevez, Ronaldo ‘Phenomenon’, and, more recently, Memphis Depay.
First English Player in Brazil
A unique experience awaits Lingard across the Atlantic.
The 33-year-old is set to become the first English footballer to feature in the Brazilian top flight.
Corinthians are a unique force in the domestic context. “Every team has supporters. Corinthians are supporters who have a team,” journalist Jose Roberto de Aquino famously put it.
They refer to themselves as “bando de loucos” – a bunch of crazies – a label the club has proudly embraced.
“Welcome to the madhouse,” reads a sign in the tunnel leading visiting sides to the pitch at the Neo Quimica Arena.
Loyal Fanbase Awaits
Corinthians fans are widely known as the most loyal in the country. Lingard will soon find this out first-hand.
When the black and white team beat Chelsea 1-0 in the 2012 Intercontinental Cup final, 40,000 supporters travelled to Japan. They have also raised around £6m through a crowdfunding campaign to help the club pay for their stadium and saw their following grow even when the team went 23 years without a trophy.
That run ended in 1977 with a Sao Paulo State Championship title.
- Lingard was handed the number 77.
- It carries weight.
- He will know that from day one.
Winning Over the Press
Having left United in 2022 following 232 appearances for the club over an eight-year period, the ex-England international has an immediate challenge ahead of him: win over the Brazilian press.
Reactions to his signing have not been exactly warm.
Former international defender Luisao, who faced Lingard with Benfica in a Champions League game in 2017, argued: “I believe there are better players here in Brazil or even abroad. There are players who will cost less and work out the same.”
Ilsinho, who won a Uefa Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk, added: “If he walks around Analia Franco (a popular neighbourhood in Sao Paulo’s eastern zone), nobody would ask him for a photo.”
Mauro Cezar Pereira, one of the most respected local pundits, said: “He’s been away from the most competitive level for a long time. I don’t know how much he’ll really add to Corinthians.
A unique experience now awaits Lingard across the Atlantic.