Former Manchester United and England midfielder Jesse Lingard has signed for Brazilian side Corinthians on a contract until the end of the year, the club has announced.
The 33-year-old becomes only the second player born in England to play for the Serie A team, according to the club, after Colin Kazim-Richards, who was born in London but played internationally for Turkey.
Lingard’s deal will run until the end of 2026, with the option of an additional 12 months “if certain goals established in the document are met”.
Upon signing, Lingard said: “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 has been without a club since December after leaving South Korean side FC Seoul, where he had played since early 2024.
Previously, he had come through the Manchester United academy, making more than 200 appearances for the first team and winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup in that time before leaving the Red Devils in 2022.
He enjoyed a successful loan spell at West Ham in 2021, before joining Nottingham Forest on a permanent deal after exiting Old Trafford.
Lingard’s move to South America will see him reunite with former United teammate Memphis Depay, who has been with Corinthians since 2024.
The Englishman, who has 32 international caps to his name, will wear the number 77 shirt.
