Brazil is ‘a bit of Jesse’ but Lingard to Wrexham not ruled out as ex-Man Utd coach reacts to rumours of JLingz brand joining forces with Ryan Reynolds & Rob Mac

A switch to North Wales was mooted when Lingard severed ties with K League side FC Seoul as a free agent. A productive spell in the Far East was enjoyed by the mercurial playmaker, with the charismatic 33-year-old being treated like a “rock star” in Asia.

Rather than retrace steps to his homeland, the FA Cup and Europa League winner took the bold decision to head for South America. A one-year contract has been signed with Brazilian heavyweights Corinthians - allowing Lingard to reunite with former Old Trafford team-mate Memphis Depay.

He has become the first British player to play in the Brazilian top-flight, with more history being made when opening his goal account in domestic cup competition and finding the target in a Copa Libertadores fixture.

Taking his penchant for having fun and playing with a smile into account, Lingard may have found the perfect landing spot in a carnival-loving nation. More decisions on his long-term future will, however, need to be made at some stage.

If Wrexham were to complete their meteoric rise into the Premier League, with an award-winning documentary series being factored into the equation, could Lingard take his brand - as a prominent presence on social media - to the Racecourse Ground alongside Hollywood A-listers?

When that question was put to Meulensteen, Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant - speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Best Betting Bonuses - said: “Funnily enough, I've always stayed in touch with Jesse, even when he went to Korea, because I had him when he came on the scene when he was eight years of age at the academy. So I worked with him for a number of years and just followed his path and everything.

“He's obviously made this move to Brazil, which is an interesting one. I've not really touched base with him. I think it suits him there. The lifestyle and the samba and everything. That's a little bit of Jesse anyway.

“Could he come back? What is he now? Early 30s? It's a player that has got that Premier League experience, the big club experience. So Wrexham, if they make that next step, could be a possibility.

“Has he signed one year? It depends on how he settles, how he enjoys life. That's another thing you need to look at. If he's saying, ‘listen, I've done this for a year, but I didn't really enjoy living here’, then he might consider coming back.”

Lingard appears to be loving life with the sun on his back at present, as he competes with the likes of Neymar for centre stage and major honours in Brazil, but the lure of home may yet tug on his heartstrings.

Personal matters will be taken into account, along with sporting ambition, and any move to Wrexham would allow the Warrington native to head back to geographical roots and enjoy a professional swansong in the English game.