A Seattle fan favorite is returning to the Sounders.
The club announced on Monday that it has signed midfielder Erik Friberg, who was with Seattle in 2011. The 29-year-old Swedish international is being added to Sounders' roster pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate once Major League Soccer's transfer window officially opens on July 8. Per MLS and club policy, additional terms of the deal are not being disclosed.
"We're excited to add a versatile midfielder in Erik to our roster," said Sounders general manager and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey in a statement. "Erik is a player that is well-liked and respected within our organization, and we're eager to welcome him back to Seattle."
In his previous stint in Seattle, Friberg started in 23 of his 26 appearances and recorded one goal and two assists. He then moved to Swedish side Malmö FF, where he appeared 41 times from 2012-2013, scoring six goals and helping the club to the 2013 Allsvenskan championship. He then spent the 2013-2014 season with Italian side Bologna, starting five of seven appearances for the Serie A side. Most recently, the Göteborg native played 13 games for Esbjerg in the Danish topflight.
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Beloved by Seattle fans for both his versatility on the field and his oft-stated love of tacos on social media, Friberg also has two caps for the Swedish national team.
"Erik is a smart tactical player and has the ability to put players out of the game with his forward passing," said Sounders sporting director Chris Henderson in a team statement. "He won a US Open Cup Championship with our organization, and after leaving Seattle he played in three strong European leagues. We are happy to add his leadership to the group."
