Lingard spoke to Dorival, watched games before joining Corinthians | OneFootball

Corinthians receives offers for players of various profiles and nationalities throughout the season, but rarely advances to discussions. This was the case with Jesse Lingard, who caught the attention of football executive Marcelo Paz and initiated negotiations. The English attacking midfielder actively participated in the talks from the start, showing constant interest and following Timão's matches during the process.

Despite being responsible for recommending Zakaria Labyad, Memphis Depay did not suggest signing Lingard. However, the Dutchman was contacted by his former Manchester United teammate, who sought to confirm if the Corinthians' approach was genuine. Memphis then reached out to Paz, who confirmed the negotiations were underway.

Photo: Instagram/Reproduction

At 33 years old, Lingard personally got involved in the dealings. He maintained direct contact with the executive and, over the approximately two weeks of discussions, frequently sought updates on the progress of the agreement.

Internally, after the initial analysis conducted by Paz, the Englishman's name was submitted for evaluation by the football department and the coaching staff. Factors in his favor included his eight seasons in Manchester United's main team, 182 Premier League matches, participation with the English national team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and 30 goal involvements in the last two seasons with FC Seoul.

“He was always talking to me, not about numbers or contract duration. That was with the representatives. He would ask “how is it going”, “any feedback”, showing interest while we negotiated. He would say “I’m going to watch the game today”, watch it, and comment with me”, the football executive told ge.globo.

“He himself knew about the games, it wasn’t me who mentioned them. He knew, commented with me, sent messages, showing a lot of interest. He commented “good that you won” against Athletico-PR”, Marcelo Paz continued.

Lingard was considering other market options but showed a clear preference for the challenge in Brazil, after becoming a celebrity in South Korea, where he recently played, experiencing a culture quite different from where he spent most of his life.

“He really wanted to sign with Corinthians. He had opportunities with other teams, but his desire was Corinthians”, stated the Alvinegro Paulista executive.

During the negotiations, coach Dorival Júnior participated in a virtual conversation with the executive and the player. The coach sought information about the Englishman's physical condition, who assured he was well and ready to play as needed.

On the financial side, Paz presented the club's conditions to the player's staff, obtaining quick agreement. The agreed salary is within the cap set by the board, even amid the crisis Corinthians is facing. With the agreement in place, Lingard showed enthusiasm and asked when he could travel. The flight departed from London on Saturday night, after signing the pre-contract.

The player landed in Brazil on Sunday morning and will undergo medical exams on Monday before signing a contract until the end of this year. The contract includes an automatic renewal clause until the end of 2027, should previously established performance targets be met. The expectation at Parque São Jorge is that Lingard, with his experience and technical quality, will help elevate the squad's level.

He will be the seventh reinforcement for Timão this season. Before him, the club had already announced defender Gabriel Paulista, midfielders Matheus Pereira, Allan, and Zakaria Labyad, right-back Pedro Milans, forward Kaio César, as well as the contract renewal of Fabrizio Angileri.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.