Damallsvenskan Newsblog

The two Icelandic national team players Edda Gardarsdóttir and Ólína Vidarsdóttir, who both spent a few days last week training with the club, has now signed contracts with Kif Örebro for the 2009 season. 30 years old Gardarsdóttir is the midfield hub on Iceland's national team, and will most probably find herself in the same position for Örebro, while the three years younger Vidarsdóttir will be fielded as a winger.

The Brazilian player Rafaela, who also tried out for the club last week, still an interesting option but no decision has been made yet.

Rickard Holmlund's team has also renewed the contract for midfielder Elin Magnusson. She was one of the team's key players last season and sport director Thomas Rasmusson says he is very happy to finally have reached an agreement with her.
Nerikes Allehanda: Landslagsstjärnor klara för Kif Örebro, Elin Magnusson kör vidare i Kif Örebro

Susanne Nilsson, goalkeeper for Sweden's U19 team and for Byttorp in the 1st division, has agreed to join Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC. At this moment, she is the only goalkeeper listed on Göteborg's roster. Last season's starting goalkeeper Jenny Olsson hasn't renewed her contract yet and probably won't if Hedvig Lindahl, as suspected, moves clubs to Göteborg.
Göteborg FC: F19-landslagets målvakt till Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC

Norwegian left-sider June Pedersen, formerly at Umeå, has signed with Damallsvenskan newcomers Piteå IF. Pedersen has played three seasons for Umeå, initially in an offensive position, but last year mostly as a full back. She has however had problems getting off the bench and comments her move with "I've got legs as well as cleats and I simply want to play more than I've been doing the last years in Umeå".
Piteå's sport director Håkan Norberg is pleased with being able to sign Pedersen and says her speed and her left foot are her best qualities.
Norrländska Socialdemokraten: Norska Pedersen blev Piteå IFs andra nya spelare
Norrbottenkuriren: June Pedersen klar för Piteå IF

Hammarby as signed Nina Hietanen from Kuusysi in the Finnish league. The 23 years old was the leading goalscorer the 2008 season with 18 goals and is also capped for Finland's senior side.
Hammarby: Finländsk skyttedrottning värvad

Kopparbergs/Göteborg's back-up keeper Sandra Bjurteg has left the premier division side for nearby Jitex, promotion contender in the 1st division. Bjurteg's decision to leave Göteborg could be connected to Hedvig Lindahl's expected arrival. Jitex had an abundance of goalies last season, but has since lost all three; Maria Yatrakis back to USA, Frida Andersson to A.E.K. on Cyprus and Johanna Baecklund to AIK.
Damfotboll.com: Kopparberg/Göteborg tappar målvakt

Anna Ahlstrand, has agreed to return to Kopparbergs/Göteborg, where she last played 2004. The 28 years old midfielder has since been captain, play-maker and her team's leading goalscorer, playing for Gauthiod in the 1st divisioon.
Nya Lidköpingstidningen: Gör en nysatsning i högsta serien

And another Bälinge player has deserted the relegated team. Emma Jonsson has decided to return up north and signed for 1st division side Sundsvalls DFF.
Sundsvalls Tidning: Emma klar för SDFF

Linköping FC's national team defender Sara Larsson has let her club know, that she will chose to play for St. Louis in the American WPS league next year. Larsson, 29 years old with 82 caps for Sweden, has however said that she is interested in joining her old club for the last few months in 2009, after the WPS season is finished. Linköping's general manager Anders Mäki says they are talking about finding a solution for that.

On the other hand, Linköping has signed Yolanda Odenyo. Odenyo played for Bälinge and AIK in Damallsvenskan before she went to USA, where she has spent the last four years in college at Oklahoma State and has been very successful. She is her team's leading player and to top a series of awards she has received during her college career, she is now on the short-list for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top player in college soccer.
Linköping plans to use the 24 years old Odenyo as a defender, pretty straight forward as a replacement for Larsson. In USA she has mostly played as an offensive midfielder, 16 goals last season, but is in Sweden mostly recognized as a defensive player. She has been on the verge of being called up for the senior national side, but playing in America has undoubtedly hurt her chances, which might have contributed to her choice to return to Sweden. She has been invited to try out for the American WPS league, but I presume this will not happen. At least not this year. Her contract with Linköping is for one year.
Linköping also declares that Odenyo is their last signing for the 2009 season. With 19 players under contract and an additional 4 or 5 players from their development team they are all set.
Corren: Larsson väljer USA – Odenyo klar för LFC
Linköping: Sista pusselbiten på plats

In unrelated transfer news Maja Åström, just like Odenyo a former Bälinge player, has decided to make her Damallsvenskan come-back, signing a contract with AIK. Åström had her most successful years 2004 and 2005, when she played for Djurgården and won both the Swedish championship and the Swedish Cup as well as played the UEFA Women's Cup final, where Djurgården lost to Turbine Potsdam.
Åström decided to take a break from football after her injury-ridden 2007 season, but is now once again motivated to play at the highest level. The 25 years old has one cap for Sweden at senior level and several for the youth teams.
AIK: Målvakten Maja Åström till AIK

And, as expected, Iceland's Edda Gardarsdóttir and Ólína Vidarsdóttir showed up at Örebro's training yesterday. They are both thrilled to be in Sweden. They have been in touch with other Swedish clubs, but both says that Örebro is their number one choice. Both they and Brazilian trialist Rafaela will stay in Örebro until the weekend.
Nerikes Allehanda: Isländsk landslagsduo provtränade med Kif

Brazilian 27 years old midfielder Rafaela Andrade de Moraes, or Rafaela for short, began her try-out for Kif Örebro on Wednesday. Rafaela was a member of Brazil's 2003 World Cup team, but has the three last seasons been playing in the Japanese league. Örebro, having already lost Lena Andersson (look forther down in this post) and risking losing Elin Magnusson too, is in great need of good midfielders. Örebro's sport director Thomas Rasmusson says that Rafaela made a good impression, but will have more opportunities before the club decides.
Örebro will have another group of possible recruits on their training pitch later this week, probably the two Icelandic national team players Edda Gardarsdóttir och Ólína Vidarsdóttir, but Rasmusson doesn't want to confirm that those are the players.
Nerikes Allehanda: Brasiliansk VM-spelare tränar med Kif Örebro

Kif Örebro's Lena Andersson, 22 years old midfielder with 16 caps for Sweden's U-21, has decided to join Hammarby.
Hammarby: Lena Andersson till Hammarby

The young defender Petronella Ekroth, capped for Sweden at youth level, has decided to renew her contract with Linköping. She also had an offer from Djurgården.
Corren: Ekroth stannar i LFC

Last place Bälinge seems about to lose just about every player from their 22 player roster. Finnish national team midfielder Katri Nokso-Koivisto confirms that she will sign for the German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, explaining that if she shall be able to qualify for the Finnish team in the Euros next year, she must play at a higher level than Sweden's 1st division.

Counting the four Americans, who already have left, and four other players who have already signed for new clubs in Sweden, Nokso-Koivisto makes it 9, who have fled the relegated and disbanded Uppsala club.

The plans are to move Bälinge's playing rights and players to a new club, Uppsala DFF. But it seems like fairly few players will be around for that move. Veteran Linda Blom says she will announce a new club next week, Emma Lindqvist has been trying out for AIK and is also takning to Sunnanå, Nina Engström has offers from both Piteå and several 1st division sides and team captain Lina Andersson is talking to a Damallsvenskan club from Stockholm. No one has so far decided for Bälinge.
Upsala Nya Tidning: Alla Bälinges spelare är på väg att lämna - snart finns inget lag att flytta, Bälinges spelartrupp 2008 - snart bara ett minne blott

10 times capped Linda Forsberg has decided to leave Djurgården and sign a two year deal with LDB FC Malmö. The 23 years old won the Swedish rookie of the year award 2007 and was part of both the World Cup team 2007 and the Olympic team 2008. Malmö coach Jörgen Pettersson sees her as a replacement for recently retired Therese Lundin.
And just like last year, it seems like every player that leaves Djurgården is better than every new player they manage to sign. Not looking good so far.
Sydsvenskan: Landslagsspelare till LDB FC Malmö

Sweden's national team goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl has left Linköping, that much is certain. It's no secret that she has been courted by Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, but Lindahl just comments "I know what I want to do next season, but it's too early to say anything about it". Playing abroad is tempting, but there is "nothing concrete" so far. Leaving her club without having secured a new contract might seem risky, but for Lindahl it was important to leave: "I didn't fit in any longer, I knew the environment after five years and I need to hear new voices to continue developing."
And being Sweden's top goalie she shouldn't have any problems finding a new club, in Sweden or abroad.
Corren: Därför lämnade Lindahl LFC

A story on uefa.com pictures the wave of Icelandic national team players moving to Swedish teams after Iceland's successful qualification to the UEFA Women's Euro 2009. Besides the six players, that already have deals for 2009, they mention midfielder Edda Gardarsdóttir and defender Ólína Vidarsdóttir as have been given trials by Kif Örebro. Örebro's sport director Thomas Rasmusson doesn't want to comment on this, but says the club is in contact with a few possible recruits, both Swedish and foreign.
The club has so far 15 players contracted for 2009 and needs to find a few more. A priority is their midfielders Elin Magnusson and Lena Andersson, both starters the last season. Both are offered new contracts, but for at least Magnusson, who recently graduated with a teachers degree, it's also a question about finding a suitable job.
Nerikes Allehanda: Landslagsduo aktuell för Kif Örebro

Kristianstads DFF were training for the first time on their brand new artificial turf, the new Icelandic coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir in her first training session with the team. Icelandic internationals Holmfridur Magnusdottir and Gudny Odinsdottir were also there, as were the young striker Emma Sjödahl from nearby 1st division side Vittsjö, now finally signed for Kristianstad.
Kristianstadsbladet: Den gröna julklappen

Newcomers Piteå has convinced the team's granny and nanny, veterans Mari Lundqvist and Janina Marklund, to extend their contracts and stay with the team for their first Damallsvenskan season. Lundqvist, a 28 years old with 15 years in the club, managed to make a deal with her employer to free more time for football -  necessary to be able to play in the highest division.
Norrbottenskuriren: Visst stannar Lundqvist i PIF

Relegated Bälinge's Lisa Lantz moves back up north after two years in Uppsala and joins Umeå Södra FF. The Umeå clubs dedication to return to the highest level was deciding for the fullback.
Damfotboll.com: Allsvensk back till Umeå Södra

Finally, LDB FC Malmö has moved up yet another player from their youth team. Midfielder Emelie Erlandsson, 17 years old, made her debut in the senior team last summer in a friendly against Djurgården.
LDB FC: Ännu en lärling i a-truppen

Umeå IK has announced that they won't submit their final bid to Marta's agent Fabiano Farah until next week. They are working with a couple of promising sponsors, who will make their decisions in a few days. According to the local newspaper Västerbottenskuriren the new offer has a 50 % increase of Marta's current salary, making it somewhere around SEK 1,5 millions a year after taxes.
The proposed contract will be for three years. Umeå's general manager Britta Åkerlund repeats her earlier position that you can't go on like this every year. The deals they make with their main sponsors are also set for three years. "You can't let everything else at a stand still every fall, just because you have to save Marta for the club", Åkerlund comments.
But Umeå aren't exclusively focusing on Marta. Their back-up solution is still Australia's Lisa de Vanna and they are in contact with her. "She knows what we have to offer" says Åkerlund, who also says that it seems like de Vanna is very interested in Umeå.
Finally, asked about Linköping's recently announced interest in Umeå defender Johanna Frisk, Åkerlund just comments with a "Good luck" to Linköping.
They will probably need it.
Västerbottenskuriren: UIK:s slutbud dröjer - men höjs rejält
Västerbottens Folkblad: Finansiärer förlänger tidsfris

Linköping has renewed the contract with their young midfielder Petra Larsson. The 20 years old was getting more and more playing time the last half of the 2008 season and hopes to continue that way. But with the recent signings of Danish midfielders Paaske Sørensen and Rydahl Bukh, the competition doesn't seem to be any easier next season. But Larsson says that she prefers to take the challenge and opportunity to grow as a player than opt for the easy way out.
Linköping: Petra förlänger med LFC

Kopparbergs/Göteborg's Maria Karlsson, with more than 50 caps for Sweden's youth teams, has also joined Linköping. The 23 years old full back/midfielder has been with Göteborg for 7 years and hopes to take the next step in Linköping.
Linköping will now have two Maria Karlsson, as their winger with the same name extended her contract a few days ago. We really ought to rename one of them.
Linköping: Karlsson byter Göteborg mot LFC

Linköping FC is looking for a defender who, if it becomes necessary, can replace Sara Larsson. Larsson is according to Umeå newspaper Västerbottenskuriren close to a contract with St. Louis Athletica in the American WPS league. Umeå's Johanna Frisk is one of the top names on their list, says Linköping manager Anders Mäki. No comments from Frisk, who is vacationing in Chile. And yes, Marta is there too, promoting the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Västerbottenskuriren: Linköping vill värva Frisk

Marta's agent Fabiano Farah says that a part of the deal LDB FC Malmö is offering Marta is available to her even if she signs with Umeå. LDB FC's major sponsor, Kent Widding Persson, doesn't confirm this, but says that even if he prefers Marta to play for the Malmö team, he is willing to be a part of another solution as long as that keeps Marta in Sweden.
He also confirms that LDB FC earlier this fall offered to help Umeå in financing a Marta contract by essentially paying a hugely inflated loan fee, SEK 300,000 a year, for one of Umeå's young promising players. No player mentioned, but maybe Bachmann?.
Västerbottenskuriren: Malmöpengar kan rädda kvar Marta i Umeå

And King Pelé abdicates to Queen Marta.
The regional assembly of the Brazilian state of Alagoas, Marta's home state, has decided to change the name of the main stadium in the capital Maceió from 'Rei Pelé' to 'Rainha Marta'.
ESPN: Reina por Rey

You can't really say that newcomers Piteå and Stattena has chocked us with some kind of AIK 2007 signing spree, but they have their plans and they are slowly trying to sign and resign.

Piteå's biggest catch so far seems to be one of their own: they managed to keep their talented high-schooler Emelie Lövgren, in spite of Djurgården offering her a contract. The sensible girl wants to complete her high school studies in an orderly fashion and it sound from Djurgården, like they might repeat their offer next year.
Piteå are also close to re-sign their midfielders Janina Marklund and Mari Lundqvist and has managed to entice a couple of Damallsvenskan players to come and have a look. June Pedersen, who is leaving Umeå and looking for a new club and Johanna Lindahl from Sunnanå are training with the team this week. Piteå are also in contact with Bälinge's Nina Engström, but might run into problems finding a suitable day-job for her.
The club is also looking at the American market, where they are focusing on players just outside the national team.
Norrbottenskuriren: Emelie Lövgren stannar kvar i allsvenska Piteå IF

Stattena has still not managed to solve their coach problems, which usually makes prospective players a bit hesitant. But they are in touch with AIK's 30 years old veteran midfielder Jessica Julin, who wants to leave the Stockholm side. The Finnish international has spent a lot of time on the bench this season, in the shadow of her compatriot Anne Mäkinen.
Stattena are also in contact with some of the players that are leaving Örebro, probably Caroline Näfver and/or Hanna Pettersson.
They will also use their former coach Ann Helen Grahm, now assistant coach for Scotland, to help finding international players.
Helsingborgs Dagblad: Stattena hoppas på finsk landslagsspelare

Two Danish national team midfielders, Cathrine Paaske Sørensen and Julie Rydahl Bukh, has signed six month contracts with Linköping FC, starting in February 2009. They have both been playing for Danish champions Brøndby, winning six league championships. Paaske Sørensen is arguably Denmark's leading player at the moment while Rydahl Bukh comes from an injury ridden season, but hopes to take back her national team position in time for the European Championships late next summer.
Linköping's manager Anders Mäki says that they would have liked to find a solution for the entire 2009 season, "but this is the way it turned out". The signings are still a new proof, that Linköping will be a serious contender next year.
This is just my own reflection, but I guess this means that Linköping has given up trying to re-sign Daniela, as Paaske Sørensen pretty much plays in the same position.
Corren: Danska stjärnor till LFC
Linköping: Dansk landslagsduo till LFC

Britta Åkerlund, Umeå's general manager, says that Umeå will leave their final offer to Marta's agent Fabiano Farah on Friday and it will be a multi year contract, according to other sources a two year deal with an option for a third.
"I simply refuse to have an autumn like this again, it takes an incredibly lot of time and energy".
Åkerlund also confirms that LDB FC Malmö, who recently also submitted a contract offer to Marta, earlier this fall offered to help Umeå finance a Marta deal, just to keep her in Sweden. But, she says, they demanded too many things in return.
Västerbottens Folkblad: Marta erbjuds flerårskontrakt

The decision from the local media concern Västerbottenskuriren AB to sponsor a contract with Marta helps a lot, but is not enough. But it seems to make it easier to talk to other potential contributors and Umeå are talking to several local companies.
Västerbottenskuriren: Åkerlund: "Jag lämnar ett nytt slutbud innan helgen"

In the midst of all this, it is reported that Umeå's result for the 2008 season probably will end in a loss at about SEK 500,000 - mostly because of a decrease in ticket sales. This will however not have any effect on the negotiations with Marta, since a contract with her will be financed independantly.
Västerbottens Folkblad: UIK riskerar ekonomisk smäll

Sara Larsson, the Sweden and Linköping centre back, tells her home town newspaper that she is tempted by the offer from St. Louis in the American WPS league and will decide between that and an offer from her Swedish club Linköping "soon". She is already doing well in Sweden, making a living playing football, but it's the adventure playing in USA that draws.
She says that it is a problem that the summer transfer window next year hasn't been set yet. If it will be in August, it would be possible to move clubs after the USA season and join Linköping for the last months of the Swedish season, including the first UEFA Women's Cup matches for the club.
Nya Wermlandstidningen: Sara Larssons svåra val

Sweden's veteran goal keeper Caroline Jönsson, formerly LDB FC Malmö but now unattached, seems to be in fairly advanced negotiations with the Chicago club. At least if you should judge by the way her name has been mentioned lately, in passing but still, in a couple of articles about other players.

Los Angeles Sol has named Umeå's Johanna Frisk as a post-draft discovery player, which sort of supports the impression that they still are serious about signing Frisk's good friend Marta.
WPS: Transactions

USA head coach Pia Sundhage eliminates all doubts about about the start of the WPS next spring in an interview with Damfotboll.com. Her planning for the US national team is built around the April to August WPS season. She also comments on Marta's negotiations with Los Angeles and Umeå. "It's obvious that a player like Marta is attractive for every team", she says. She adds that Marta's compensation will not count toward the salary cap, that all WPS clubs must keep. Player representatives as well as the league has agreed to this. "It's probable that they will find a solution, but the league doesn't stand or fall with Marta", Sundhage finishes.
Damfotboll.com: Pia Sundhage planerar för proffsliga

Bälinge's management are actually working hard to save the women's team - they recently founded Uppsala DFF and moved all the Bälinge girls and women's teams to the new club. Next step should be to arrange a cooperation deal for their senior team with the big Uppsala club Sirius and move the youth sides back to Bälinge, where they belong. Not quite certain this plan will work out, but there is some hope for an Uppsala team in the 1st division next year.
Upsala Nya Tidning: Bälinge ett steg närmare Sirius

This, however, doesn't convince all Bälinge players. The young talents, several of them Swedish U19 players, are of course the first to leave. Sarah Storck has already left for Malmö and now U19 midfielder Emma Appelqvist joins AIK while forward Ida Brännström seems close to sign for Linköping.
AIK: Mittfältare från Bälinge klar för AIK

Linköping are looking at several talented youngsters. 20 years old defender Linda Bengtsson from 1st division side Öster and the U18 player Elin Olofsson (IFK Kalmar, 2nd divison) are today's names. If signed, these players will mostly find themselves playing with Linköping's farm team Kenty.
Corren: Ny mittback på väg till Linköping

Sweden U18 forward Emelie Lövgren from just promoted Piteå has been offered a contract by Djurgården. She comments that the contract was "so-so" and is leaning towards staying with Piteå. She is still in high-school and moving schools doesn't appear to be entirely straight forward and she thinks Djurgården offered a little bit too little money to make the move to Stockholm.
Norrländska Socialdemokraten: Lövgren: Det lutar åt Piteå

Not quite as crazy as yesterday, but still an eventful Marta day:

LDB FC Malmö has renewed the contract offer they presented to Marta in September. The club's strong man and major financier, cosmetics mogul Kent Widding Persson, says that the bid was received with much more interest now than it was last time. This strengthened his opinion that the American offer isn't as strong as has been expected. He doesn't want to mention any figures for his own bid, but Malmö's last offer was estimated to be in the region of SEK 1,5 million a year. He has has also added plans for a charity project in Marta's north east Brazil, similar to the project LDC FC is involved in in South Africa, to the offer. Widding Persson finally says that he is not interested in a short time contract.
Sydsvenskan: LDB FC Malmö lägger nytt bud på Marta
Damfotboll.som: Elden är lös!

Umeå's general manager Britta Åkerlund spent quite some time yesterday to try to figure out the lay of the land and was in  touch with both Marta's agent Fabiano Farah and Los Angeles Sol manager Charlie Naimo. The conclusion is that the American WPS club has presented their final offer. Umeå has until the end of the week to counter that. Umeå is now working hard to find additional sponsors and will file a renewed offer.
Västerbottenskuriren: Slutbud från Los Angeles - UIK jobbar vidare

The Umeå media concern Västerbottenskuriren AB, that owns newspapers and a radio station, has revealed that the company has decided to make a major effort to help keeping Marta in Umeå. No sum is revealed, but it is rumoured to be close to SEK 1 million.
Västerbottenskuriren: VK-koncernen vill rädda kvar Marta i Umeå
There are right now 133 comments to this story at Västerbottenskuriren's website, mostly from outraged ice-hockey fans, who thinks the money could be used better elsewhere.