Freddie Ljungberg Undergoes Hip Surgery; will miss start of Sounders FC training

December 19, 5:05 PMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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Sounders FC press release:

RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg underwent surgery to repair a hip condition, the club announced today.

Ljungberg’s surgery was performed by world-renowned surgeon Dr. Marc Philippon of the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. The player is expected to make a full recovery and his projected return to training is 10-12 weeks.

“Freddie Ljungberg is a player that we value for the long term,” said Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer. “As Freddie increased his training regimen for the upcoming season, we wanted to make sure that he was firing on all cylinders for the next two years and beyond.”

“As he increased his training intensity, he suffered a mild re-occurrence of the hamstring problems that have occasionally hampered him over the past two years,” said Hanauer. “At that point, Freddie and the club wanted to be proactive and we decided to have him see the best hip and hamstring specialists in the country.

“It was ultimately determined that the best course of action was to repair a slightly torn labrum, and to shave a very small amount of bone where the hip meets the femur. The objective of this surgery is to eliminate the nagging injuries and to ensure that Freddie has the explosiveness necessary to be a major contributor for Sounders FC every time he steps on the pitch.”

Sounders FC will open training camp January 21. The Major League Soccer season opener is March 19 against the New York Red Bulls at Qwest Field.