MLS in Seattle | Sounders land their star, Freddie Ljungberg

The rave green Sounders FC jersey presented Tuesday to the club's high-profile new player, Freddie Ljungberg, seemed appropriate.

Ljungberg, slight in stature at 5 feet 9 and 162 pounds, lives much larger. He models Calvin Klein underwear in his spare time. He was in Los Angeles getting a tattoo on his forearm this summer when Sounders FC majority owner Joe Roth arranged to meet with him.

On the field, Ljungberg scored 72 goals in nine seasons in the English Premier League for Arsenal on his way to becoming a legend for one of Europe's most storied soccer clubs. He's been his native Sweden's player of the year and has played in two World Cups.

He has rock-star status in his home country and throughout Europe, yet Seattle captured his fancy. So did Roth, who made the sales pitch that brought Ljungberg to Seattle as Sounders FC's designated player.

"Much of what we talked about that first hour together was the benefits of being in a city like Seattle," Roth said of the meeting.

Roth convinced Ljungberg that Seattle would be a good fit. That soccer was serious in Seattle. That he didn't need to go to New York or Los Angeles to be a star.

Ljungberg came to Seattle and met with Sounders FC executives. He was given a physical and contract talks began. Then he left, returned, and was at Qwest Field on Tuesday to be introduced as the team's most internationally recognizable star.

Ljungberg walked away from a four-year contract with his previous club, West Ham United of England, after just one season. He said he wanted to come to the United States to improve the image and quality of the league.

"I figured if I'm going to take MLS seriously and want to make it a really good league and develop it, I should come now and not in three years' time," Ljungberg said. "It took me three months to come to a decision of what I wanted to do, but the guys here [team executives] have helped me in my decision by showing me around the city and what they want to do with the team."

Ljungberg was impressed by how many season tickets Sounders FC has already sold (17,000-plus). The city reminds Ljungberg a lot of his homeland. He has relatives in Vancouver, B.C.

"I lived at the waterfront when I was young," Ljungberg said. "It's quite similar to the Swedish nature. I need to feel happy where I am, and I think I'm going to be happy here."

Ljungberg is penciled in as Sounders FC's center halfback, the player who directs the offense from the midfield. In Ljungberg's conversations with general manager Adrian Hanauer and technical director Chris Henderson, the three were in agreement that Ljungberg is best used at that position.

Ljungberg's contract is for $2.5 million per season, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. As the club's designated player under MLS guidelines, only a portion of Ljungberg's salary will count against the club's salary cap next season.

The team has added veteran goalkeeper Kasey Keller, signed a big sponsorship deal with Microsoft, will broadcast every game on local TV in its first season and is on pace to have the most season tickets sold of all 15 MLS teams.

"I hereby project that every game in our home stadium will be sold out [in the lower bowl]," said Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke, who represents minority owner Paul Allen's interest in the team.

"It's been my promise to the people of Seattle that we wouldn't come on like a straggling expansion team. We just wanted to make sure we did everything first rate," Roth said. "Our goal is to come out with an expansion team that makes the playoffs."

Roth initially thought the team might not find a designated player.

"You want someone who's not a gimmick. You want someone who is still playing at the top of his career. We don't need anyone to come in here and sell tickets because the people of Seattle have embraced the team," he said.

Notes

• Hanauer said the team's search for a head coach is ongoing, with interviews currently under way. He said a hire could be made next month after the league playoffs conclude. There are "five to 10" names on Hanauer's short list.

• Hanauer said the team probably won't be offering contracts to former USL Sounders until December, after the MLS expansion draft.