Ljungberg to leave Shimizu S-Pulse
Reuters - Tuesday 14 February 2012, 11:32
Former Sweden and Arsenal
midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is to leave Japan's Shimizu S-Pulse
by mutual consent, according to a statement from the player.
"Despite my feelings about Japan and my great respect for
team-mates and coaching staff in the S-Pulse, I feel that this
is not the right project for me," Ljungberg said in the
statement.
"I want to be clear that all at S-Pulse have been fantastic
to me. I cannot thank them enough for everything they did for me
during my time in the club."
Ljungberg, 34, had been linked with several clubs during the
recent transfer window, including some in England, according to
his representative Walid Bouzid, but felt none of them were
suitable.
"It was not the right English clubs. French and Scandinavian
clubs also showed interest," Bouzid said, adding: "He wants to
play in a club battling for league titles, but he also wants his
final project to give him a chance to give something back to
society."
Capped 75 times, Ljungberg started his career at Halmstads
BK in his native Sweden, before moving to England and making his
name with Arsenal.
He went on to represent fellow London club West Ham United
before a sojourn in North America's Major League Soccer (MLS)
with the Seattle Sounders and the Chicago Fire.
He returned to Europe, playing a handful of games for Celtic
in Scotland before his move to Japan last September.