Arsenal confirm they have appointed Freddie Ljungberg as head coach of the u23s, in a major overhaul of Hale End Academy. The 41-year-old was previously in charge of the u15s and u19 UEFA Youth League side before joining Vfl Wolfsburg to become assistant to manager Andries Jonker.
His return to the Gunners follows Marcel Lucassen’s arrival as Head of Coach and Player development and Lee Herron as Head of Academy Football Operations. Per Mertesacker is also the new Head of Academy, replacing Luke Hobbs who took temporary charge after Jonker’s departure.
Ljungberg became an Arsenal legend in his playing career, making over 300 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. The former Sweden international joined from Halmstad in 1998 and spent nine years at the club before leaving for West Ham United in 2007.
He would go on to play for Seattle Sounders (MLS), Chicago Fire (MLS), Celtic (Scotland), Shimizu S-Pulse (Japan) and Mumbai City (India) before hanging up his boots. The number of ex-players returning to Arsenal in backroom roles is now rising – Ljungberg (u23 head coach), Mertesacker (Head of Academy) and Jens Lehmann (first-team coach).
Stats from Transfermarkt.
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