Sounders trade Freddie Ljungberg to Chicago
Jul 30, 2010, 2:42 PM | Updated: Apr 5, 2011, 9:50 am
Freddie Ljungberg played in 37 matches, scored two goals and had 12 assists in two seasons with the Sounders FC. (Photo by Jane Gershovich)
(Photo by Jane Gershovich)
MyNorthwest.com staff
One day after acquiring Uruguayan midfielder Alvaro Fernandez, the Sounders FC traded midfielder Freddie Ljungberg to the Chicago Fire on Friday for a conditional pick in either the 2011 or 2012 SuperDraft.
Ljungberg was an All-Star in each of his two seasons in Seattle. He played in 37 matches, scored two goals and had 12 assists. In 15 matches this season, he has three assists and no goals.
“Freddie is a tremendous individual and an exceptional player who contributed greatly to the huge success of Sounders FC, both on and off the field, in the past year and a half,” Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer said in a press release. “Freddie, along with Kasey Keller, gave this club immediate stature in the world’s game, and we are grateful for his service. We wish him all the best in Chicago.”
Ljungberg, 33, signed as Seattle’s Designated Player in October of 2008. Before that he spent 10 seasons in the English Premier League.
He said in the release, “I want to start off by saying how proud I am to have been part of the most successful new franchise in MLS history, the Seattle Sounders FC. I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I first came to Seattle but I have to say that how the city and the fans have embraced me has gone beyond my wildest dreams and for that I am forever grateful. I also want to thank my teammates who are absolutely great on and off the pitch. I have made some very close friends who I know I will be in contact with forever.”
The team also added the 24-year-old Fernandez, the team’s newest Designated Player, to the active roster on Thursday. He will be eligible to play in Saturday’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes.
