Former Man United star Jesse Lingard has been appointed captain of FC Seoul ahead of his second season in South Korea.
The K League 1 club announced on Wednesday that the Englishman will wear the armband, with new signing Kim Jin-su serving as his vice captain.
Lingard’s surprising move to Seoul took place in February of last year, making him the most prominent player in the league’s history.
The 32-year-old served as captain on a few occasions and concluded his debut season with six goals and three assists over 26 matches.
He faced a knee injury shortly after joining but returned to help the team secure a fourth-place finish, their best result in five years.
He succeeds another former Premier League player, ex-Newcastle midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung, as captain.
Lingard made 26 appearances for FC Seoul during his first season, scoring six goals.
After 14 years at Manchester United, Lingard joined Nottingham Forest on a free transfer in 2022.
His loan to West Ham the previous year had been successful, netting nine goals in 16 games, but his time at the City Ground was challenging, leading to only 20 appearances before his release in summer 2023.
This left Lingard without a club until his unexpected move to FC Seoul in February.
Lingard replica No. 10 shirts have been a hot commodity in Seoul, with the club struggling to keep up with the demand at one point.
A designated ‘Lingard Zone’ was created in the stadium concourse during a 0-0 draw against Incheon in March—Lingard’s home debut—allowing fans to purchase jerseys.
Even then, supporters waited four hours for the chance to buy merchandise, with locals forming long lines outside the official club shop days later for any Lingard memorabilia they could find.