Jesse Lingard endures nightmare FC Seoul debut after ex-Man United star's surprise move

Former Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard made his debut for new club FC Seoul this weekend, though his cameo display did not go to plan.

Lingard shocked many after turning down various offers to sign for the South Korean side, where he is earning a reported £17,500 per week, and made a first outing in the early hours of Saturday in a 2-0 loss to Gwangju. The 31-year-old featured for only 14 minutes and was shown a yellow card in the dying embers of the contest, marking a disappointing start to life in his new surroundings.

Seoul will be hoping Lingard can help inspire an improved league finish this season after finishing seventh and eighth the last two years. Saturday's loss marked the first match of the new K League campaign, ensuring there is plenty of time to turn things around for the club.

Explaining his decision to sign for Seoul back in February, Lingard said: "I'm very excited. It's a new challenge. I've accepted it, I'm here and I'm ready to embrace the culture. It's a new beginning for me, a new chapter in my career. I just want to enjoy playing football again, putting a smile on people's faces and showing Korean fans what I can do."

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Former Crystal Palace chairman turned pundit Simon Jordan, however, wasn't so sure about the move. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Wasted his time, wasted his career, wasted his opportunities, wasted his time at Nottingham Forest, wasted Nottingham Forest's money, and this is the level he's now at.