Major League Soccer: Ljungberg looking at possibilities
The former Arsenal star, who was part of the Gunners squad which achieved the incredible undefeated season in the English Premier League is currently looking at various options that he might have with regard to his football career’s future.
The former Swedish international presently plays for Seattle Sounders in the MLS in the United States of America. Ljungberg has been one of those footballers, who have moved to the American soccer league after spending the peak of their respective careers in top European leagues.
Fredie Ljungberg transferred to Arsenal from Halmstads BK in Sweden. His transfer to Arsenal amounted to around three million pounds. Arsenal’s scouts were impressed by Ljungberg’s performances for Halmstads BK, where he scored two goals in eighteen league games in his last season at the club.
Ljungberg primarily plays as a winger but has been deployed by his various club managers as a central midfielder as well. His most successful stint was with Arsenal, where in his first season with the London club, he scored against Manchester United after making his debut as a substitute during the match.
The Swedish midfielder was also the first player to score an F.A Cup final which was held outside England in the Millennium stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The following year he scored again in the F.A Cup final against Chelsea, and in doing so became the first player ever to score in consecutive F.A Cup finals.
Ljungberg also played for Arsenal in their maiden 2006 UEFA Champions League final match with Barcelona despite battling throughout the season with a recurring ankle injury. In January 2007, Ljungberg was surrounded by transfer rumors linking him to a move away from Arsenal but this speculation was put down when Arsene Wenger came out and stated in a press conference before Arsenal’s Premier League game against Blackburn.
Wenger said that the Swedish midfielder still had a lot to offer at Arsenal and also said that the player will remain with Arsenal till his contract ends in 2009. However, Wenger turned out to be wrong as Ljungberg secured a move away from Arsenal in the summer of 2007. The former gunner joined Arsenal’s rivals West Ham after he signed a four year contract with them.
Ljungberg’s time at West Ham was quite forgettable as his stay was plagued by several injuries. After only spending a season at West Ham, Fredie moved to Seattle Sounders in the MLS. Recently, Seattle’s Coach Sigi Schmid has come out and said that Ljungberg is considering his future at the club and in doing so he is reviewing various options that he might have.
He said that, Fredie is a great player who brings energy into a football team. He added that, every time he plays for Seattle, he performs energetically. Sigi concluded by stating that, he has his own feelings regarding the matter in question but admitted that Sounders have their backs to the wall when it comes to the Swedish midfielder’s future.
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