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Freddie Ljungberg leaves his role as Arsenal’s first team assistant coach

Freddie Ljungberg has left his role as Arsenal’s first team assistant coach as he wants to focus on management and get the opportunity to be the head coach of a football club.

The Swede first took on coaching responsibilities at Arsenal in 2016 when he began coaching the Under 15 side. He left North London in February 2017 to become Andries Jonker’s assistant when the Dutchman became the new manager of Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Jonker and his assistants were sacked by the German club in September 2017. 

The Arsenal legend rejoined the Gunners in 2018 as the coach of the Under 23 team. He enjoyed a fruitful season at the helm of the Under 23 side and led them to a second place finish in the league. He forged a good relationship with many academy graduates who would soon be playing for the first team like Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s young players have praised Ljungberg for the influence he has had on their improvement. 

In the summer of 2019, Ljungberg was promoted to Arsenal’s first team coaching staff. He was expected to provide former boss Unai Emery with information about talented young players at Arsenal who could make the step up to the first team and assist these players in their transition from the Under 23s to the senior side.

He was appointed interim head coach when Emery was sacked by the club in November 2019. He was in charge of the first team for six games in total and helped the club through a difficult time with a very limited coaching team. Arsenal’s sole victory under his leadership was a 3-1 win against West Ham in the Premier League.

Ljungberg returned to his position as a member of the coaching staff when Mikel Arteta became the head coach in December 2019.

Arteta is expected to add to his coaching staff ahead of the new season. 

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