Where Are They Now? Ex-Arsenal Legend Freddie Ljungberg

Freddie Ljungberg has been called many things over his career such as: amazing, fantastic, best Swedish player, and...useless?

Freddie Ljungberg started out playing for a club in the Swedish First Division called Halmstad BK. He was 14 when he joined the team and was a great young talent; three years later, he was moved up to the senior team and made his senior debut on the 23 October 1994 against AIK.

In 1995, Ljunberg scored his first professional goal as a player; he had 31 starts that season and Halmstad BK went on to win the swedish cup. He went on to score 16 goals for the club in 139 appearances and won both the Swedish cup and League title with the club. After 16 years with Hamstad BK, Ljunberg was making a name for himself with Barcelona, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Parma, and Arsenal looking to place a bid for his service.

Ljungberg was signed by Arsenal in 1998 for £3 million, which at the time was the biggest transfer fee ever for a Swedish player. Arsenal scouts watched him for over a year. Ljungberg proved himself without difficulty, and scored on his debut after coming on as a substitute against rival club Manchester united, the match ending 3-0.

Some of Ljungberg's best form came in the second half of the 2001-2002 season, when Arsenal won their second premiership and FA Cup double. Following a knee injury to Robert Pires, Ljungberg scored in most of Arsenal's remaining games, including a stunning finish for Arsenal's second goal in the 2-0 FA Cup final win over Chelsea.

Ljungberg became a regular in Arsenal's starting lineup following the departure of Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars in the summer of 2000. For several seasons he played a major role for the club including being a member of the unbeaten 49 game run for Arsenal. 

Despite a persistent ankle injury, Ljungberg played for Arsenal in the 2-1 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League Final in Paris on 17 May 2006.

It was speculated in January 2007 that Ljungberg was being forced to leave Arsenal after bosses became tired of a run of injuries restricting his play.

Though it was suggested he could make a move to West ham, later these speculations proved to be premature. "Ljungberg still has a lot to offer to Arsenal," Arsené Wenger said on 13 January 2007, at a Blackburn Rovers pre-match press-conference, stressing the fact that Ljungberg will stay at Arsenal until the end of his contract in 2009.

However, Ljungberg did indeed leave Arsenal before the end of his contract, making the move to West Ham in mid-2007.

In 2008, Ljungberg placed 11th in Arsenal.com's

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