Elite soccer clubs usually have a number of scouts that are involved in transfer plans to maximize quality and potential.
But when Arsene Wenger Arsenal led, all he had needed his own eyes and a television to confirm his interest in a Swedish talent.
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The Gunners entered the 1998 summer transfer window after they were crowned in the domestic doubles.
Wenger delivered cutlery in North London in his first season and began to build her dominance in English football.
David Grondin was her first transfer of Saint-Etienne’s youth setup before Nelson Vivas made Lugano.
Arsenal then opened her Premier League title defense with a win from an unbeaten run of three games and only scored two goals.
The international break offered a breather, especially England from the back of a last 16 exit to Argentina at the World Cup.
Glenn Hoddle’s team was beaten 2-1 by Sweden in their opening qualification game in Euro 2000, with Freddie Ljungberg certainly impressed.
The then 21-year-old in his homeland had Halmstad and received a fifth senior national team appearance when the three lions visited.
Although he neither scored or assisted a goal, Ljungberg played the entire game and did enough to give Wenger Essen to think.
Just a few days after Sweden defeated England, Arsenal confirmed the signing of the wing player of Halmstad in a reported £ 3 million.
In “The Wenger Revolution: Twenty Years of Arsenal” said Wenger that he saw the match on TV: “I decided to buy it.”
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“In this game it was all his character,” later he told the Gunners.
“They played this game in Sweden on a Saturday and then bought it the next week because I liked what he did, his character.”
At some point, Ljungberg would enjoy nothing less than a dream that was brought to life in Arsenal with an excellent debut appearance.
He came from the bank and achieved her third place in a 3-0 win against Rivals Manchester United in the Premier League.
“I remember,” said Wenger. “I thought when your husband arose, you always have a feeling whether it is his place there.
“Usually we think they have to give them time, but with experience they think that the boys who manage to show them that they were of quality in their first game.
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“Freddie had that to win this determination in his head and this wish.”
His only goal of the 1998/99 campaign remained when Arsenal took second and only one point behind United.
In the following two seasons, however, Ljungberg scored eight or nine goals before he went one step further in 2001/02.
The Swede scored 12 times when Arsenal became Premier League master again and won her third domestic doubles.
Another triumph from FA Cup came in 2003 thanks to Ljungberg’s assist for Robert Pires during the 1-0 victory against Southampton in the final.
Arsenal then achieved an achievement that was no other Premier League to make a whole 38-game campaign undefeated.
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Ljungberg scored four league goals and supported another five when he and the rest of the squad became the famous “Invincibles”.
In the next campaign, he even achieved 20 target contributions, the last of which was productive when his numbers later decreased.
After nine excellent years in Arsenal, Ljungberg traveled to her London rivals West Ham in 2007.
Seattle Sunders, Chicago Fire and Celtic became later destinations as well as Shimizu S-Pulses and Mumbai City.
Ljungberg was not away from Arsenal for too long when he took on an ambassador role in 2013 and then became a coach of the U15.
After an assistant in Wolfsburg, he worked with the U23s of the Gunners and was then promoted to the team of coaches of the first team.
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Arsenal announced him as an interim head coach in November 2019 after the dismissal of Unai Emery.
A victory, three draws and two defeats followed before Mikel Areteta took on the permanent role, with Ljungberg remained as a coach until 2023.
Although his management success did not correspond to his career as a player, Ljungberg near Arsenal is still very much appreciated.
“He was an extraordinary footballer and also an extraordinary mind.” His former boss Wenger explained.
“Freddie is a winner and a guy who gives the team everything. When he didn’t win, he was sick, very sick.
“I like the quality of his attitude, the quality of his commitment and of course what he has done for our club is absolutely sensational.
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“To add to it, I would like to say that it shows you how football is progressing. We bought it for £ 3 million!
“This type of quality that you received at the time for £ 3 million … I let you imagine how much it would cost today!”
Arsenal will welcome her next Swedish signing this summer when Viktor Gyokoker occurs in a change from Sporting Lisbon.
And if the striker Ljungberg can influence similarly, then Areta and Co. I will surely celebrate his arrival for the coming years.
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