Transfer Rumours - Freddie Ljungberg

After beating Liverpool at Anfield 6-3 in the Carling Cup semi-finals (mere days after also beating Liverpool 3-1 in the 3rd round FA Cup at Anfield), Arsene Wenger was moved to reiterate his intention to continue to develop the outrageously talented young players that destroyed the 2005 Champions League winners at home with ease rather than dip into the transfer market.

Fair play.

This past week has been near absolute justification of his youth movement and recent transfer policies. With Baptista and Aliadiere playing so well yesterday Gooners are now left to pine for the Cygans of yesteryear in search of a proper club scapegoat. In fact, having had an earful from Liverpool supporters of late with excuse after excuse for their poor performances, I noted back quite seriously that if Arsene Wenger were to have offered Rafa Benitez the opportunity to select the 16 players from Arsenal to face in the Carling Cup, he would have selected a side that looked very very similar to the team he faced yesteday. I think everyone will agree that he would have chosen not to face Gallas, Eboue, Lehmann, Gilberto, Hleb, Rosicky, Adebayor, Van Persie, Henry... and so on... and yet the likes of Alumnia played very well... the kids played well... and Song Billong even SCORED!

Happy days.

But there is a black cloud that hovers over the jubulation of a now rampant Arsenal... Gunner mainstay, Swedish captain and all around good egg Freddie Ljungberg has been linked with a move away from the club. The rumours have it that clubs as diverse as West Ham, Tottenham (haha), Inter Milan, Valencia and Portsmouth are interested in the 29 year old winger.

Both sources close to the club and close friends of Freddie agree that Ljungberg has have been shocked and horrified by these rumours and wishes to remain with the Arsenal. Given his long service and examplary play against sp*rs over the years as well as THAT pass to Wiltord when we won the league... at Old Trafford (HAHAHAHA!) some accomodation will likely be made to keep him I'm certain... if he wants to stay at the club.

However.

The past two years have not been kind to Freddie. His performances have increasingly come to rely wholly upon grit and desire rather than pace and movement. In an interview earlier in the season, Freddie suggested that he has been given a new role with the club... a role which finds him deeper and with more defensive responsibilities and as such has left him with much fewer opportunities to score. I believe there is some truth in that given the absense of the one man midfield that was Patrick Vieira but I also believe that Ljungberg has lost more than a step of pace due to injury in the past few years. His technique was never world class but his movement and nose for goal certainly made up for that. But as we currently stand, Freddie surely knows that he is behind Hleb, Rosicky, Cesc, Walcott, Van Persie and perhaps Flamini and Aliadiere in terms of places wide of midfield.

I am more than happy to have Freddie be an impact substitute for the 18 months that remain on his contract. He is not a player I would like to see us sell. However, as captain of Sweden and a formerly world class player, I'm quite certain that Freddie will not want to sit for long on the Arsenal bench... in spite of his obvious love for the club.

This may be a situation where both club and player could benefit from a parting of ways. I recall being very surprised at the 3 year contract given to Freddie once Vieira had been sold to Juventus. The money seemed to outway his potential contribution to the club over that period... and halfway through... so it has proven. And I must admit to being intrigued with reports that we may bring in a replacement from Ajax in the form of one Ryan Babel.

Let's be quite clear, selling Freddie would actually leave us short wide of midfield as we should seek better alternatives than playing RVP and The Beast as wingers no matter the formation. With Reyes gone, Freddie is exceptional cover for the first team... particularly matches that require desire and spirit... we just cannot expect his patented diagonal ghosted runs into the box any longer.