Arsenal legend became kitman’s worst nightmare with bizarre requests including Vaseline on his flip-flops
ARSENAL legend Freddie Ljungberg became the Gunners kitman’s worst nightmare and prewarned Celtic of his “high maintenance”.
The Swedish icon thrived under Arsene Wenger in North London but former Celtic star Charlie Mulgrew has revealed that there was more than meets the eye with the star.
Ljungberg, 46, had a glittering career at the Gunners being a versatile player who was a key man during Wenger’s golden years at the club.
But according to Mulgrew the kitman at Arsenal did not enjoy accommodating the former winger during his nine-year spell.
And he even contacted the Scottish side’s kitman to alert him about the player’s demands.
Mulgrew told Clyde One’s Superscoreboard: “He was really high maintenance, Freddie Ljungberg.
“I spoke to the kitman at Celtic and the Arsenal kitman actually phoned him and said ‘You do not know what you’re getting yourself in for here, Freddie Ljungberg is so high maintenance’.”
Arsenal snatched Ljungberg from Halmstad for £3million in 1998 and went on to make 216 appearances and won two league titles, three FA Cups and a Community Shield.
But former defender Mulgrew even revealed the bizarre requests Ljungberg would ask for.
He continued: “Within a couple of days he asked for a couple of flip-flops that don’t get wet… there you go.
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“Obviously, all flip flops are water-proof but he wanted ones that were ultra-waterproof.
“I don’t know, maybe sealed, with Vaseline over the top of them. That’s what he asked for. You should have seen the amount of stuff he had at his place in the dressing room.”
The ex-Sweden international spent time at West Ham, Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire before heading to Celtic.
He joined the Scottish Premiership side on a free transfer after impressing the Bhoys after a one-week trial.
But thankfully for the kitman Ljungberg only lasted eight months at the club before making a move to Japan to sign with Shimizu S-Pulse.
Again Ljungberg spent less than a year in Japan before hanging up his boots.
However, he decided to make a comeback in 2014 as part of the Indian Super League making just four appearances for Mumbai City before finally calling it quits on his career.
He then returned to North London to manage the youth teams and was most recently an assistant coach and interim head coach of Arsenal.