Reliable BBC journalist David Ornstein has confirmed that former Arsenal player Freddie Ljungberg will return to the club as a youth coach, revealing that the deal is already done.
The Swedish international featured in over 320 games during his spell at the North London club and will be making a return to the club after 11 years.
Ljungberg might take over the reigns of the U-23 side from Steve Gatting, who along with his assistant Carl Laraman was suspended a few days back after bullying claim by the players.
In Arsenal’s recent Premier League International Cup fixture against Porto, Kwame Ampadu(Gunners Under-18) coach took charge of the Under-23 side as well. It might so happen that Ljungberg might take over the U-18 role with Ampadu moving upwards to handle the U-23 side.
Anyways back to the Ornstein’s tweets, where he has also discussed Arsenal’s managerial situation claiming that former Arsenal players Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira are in the race for the top job with Ljungberg definitely returning as a youth coach:
And as mentioned by others, former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is returning to the club this summer as a youth team coach on a permanent basis – that deal is done #AFC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 12, 2018
After retiring from football, the winger took up a coaching role with Arsenal’s u-15 back in 2016. He then left the club in 2017, to work as an assistant coach at VfL Wolfsburg under Andries Jonker.
It would be great to have the 41-year-old back at the club to work with the next generation players. He was part of the Arsenal squad, which dominated the Premier League in the early-2000’s under the aegis of Arsene Wenger and this experience would help the youngsters immensely.
The North London club are in a restructuring phase after Wenger’s departure and having some of your former players back at the club will definitely the blow.
