Jesse Lingard (Getty Images)
FC Seoul announced Friday they will part ways with captain Jesse Lingard after the English star’s two seasons in South Korea.
FC Seoul said they sought to exercise their option for Lingard’s third year in the K League 1, but the 32-year-old midfielder, even though he enjoyed his time with FC Seoul, wanted to take his talent to a different league at this stage in his career.
“We had in-depth talks with Lingard, trying to persuade him to stay with us for a little longer, but in the end, we decided to grant him his wish,” FC Seoul said. “Over the past two seasons, he was more than just another foreign player, serving as our captain and showing great commitment to the club. We’d like to thank him for his contributions as a player who embodied FC Seoul, and we’d like to express our deepest admiration.”
Lingard, former Manchester United star and England international, became the biggest name to arrive in the top South Korean league when he signed a shock deal with FC Seoul in February 2024. He netted six goals and had three assists in 26 matches last year, and put up 10 goals and four assists in 34 matches this year.
FC Seoul finished in sixth place among 12 teams in the K League 1 in 2025, after ranking fourth in 2024.
FC Seoul said Lingard will play his final match in South Korea next Wednesday, when they host Melbourne City in a league stage match for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite tournament at Seoul World Cup Stadium. (Yonhap)
