Teams ready for Allsvenskan second half

They had a month off but the 16 teams in the Allsvenskan stayed active on many fronts. 

  • Malmö and Iceland international defender Kari Arnason battle France striker Olivier Giroud in the quarterfinals of the 2016 UEFA European Championships. Bildbyrån photo
  • The 2016 Allsvenskan kicks off the second half of the season July 9 with three matches, the biggest of which sees Djurgården playing host to IFK Norrköping in a clash of title hopefuls. All during the break for the 2016 UEFA European Championship, the 16 teams in the Allsvenskan have been busy, both on and off the field. Here’s a look at some of the ways the clubs have kept busy during the month-long hiatus.
    (Teams listed according to order in standings as of July 5)

  • Oscar Lewicki clutches his leg after a nasty tackle during Sweden's Euro 2016 match against Ireland. Bildbyrån photo
  • Malmö FF (9-0-3, 27 points)
    The league leaders are in a win a few, lose a few mode. On the win side, Malmö central defender Kari Arnason and his Iceland teammates gave Sky Blue fans something to cheer about after Sweden’s listless three-and-out performance at the 2016 Euros. Arnason started three matches for Iceland, but was not on the field July 3 when France overwhelmed the tiny upstarts 5-2 in the quarterfinals. Arnason was one of six Allsvenskan-based players head coach Lars Lagerbäck selected for the tournament. On the loss side, Malmö finally said hejdå to fan favorite and former captain Guillermo Molins. The 27-year-old midfielder and the club failed to come to terms on a contract extension. Molins is in talks with Chinese side Beijing Renhe while IFK Norrköping and AIK have also expressed interest in the oft-injured Molins. Also on the loss side is midfield dynami Oscar Lewicki, who limped off the field in Sweden’s Euro match against Ireland. Head coach Allan Kuhn said the 23-year-old, who was the only Allsvenskan starter for Sweden, is only 50-50 for Malmö’s July 11 match against Örebro.

  • Andreas Isaksson, center, and Kim Källström, right, sing the Swedish national anthem while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is composed before Sweden's Euro 2016 match against Italy. All three players retired from the national team at the conclusion of the tournament. Bildbyrån photo
  • IFK Norrköping (7-3-2, 24 points)
    Second-place Peking picked up some midfield help, signing David Moberg Karlsson away from IFK Göteborg. The 22-year-old was languishing on the bench at Gamla Ullevi, where Göteborg has a glut of midfielders. Karlsson signed for 3.5 years. Norrköping has also been busy trying to keep team leading Emir Kujovic from bolting prior to its Champions League qualifiers against Norwegian side Rosenborg. Rumors have Kujovic packing up for England. Norrköping as also adjusting to life after Janne Andersson, who took over the Swedish national team after the Sweden’s exit from the European Champions. Jens Gustafsson is now at the helm.

  • Örebro (7-2-3, 23 points)
    Surprising third-place Örebro looked to strengthen its squad for the second half, signing Swedish Under-21 international Ferhad Ayaz from Turkish club Gaziantepspor. The 21-year-old winger left Degerfors for Turkey in 2014.

  • AIK (6-4-2, 22 points)
    Gnaget fans could take a 1-2 punch just as the second half of the season opens. Club president Björn Wesström confirmed the likely exit of highly talented winger Alexander Isak. Wesström said July 4 that “many clubs,” including premier league champions Leicester City, have made offers for the 17-year-old. Wesström, in a conference with Svenska Fans, would not say how many clubs have asked about the uber-talented Isak but did say he would likely leave the club via transfer when the window opens later this month. AIK could also be on the verge of losing its head coach as Andreas Alm is weighing offers from other clubs. Newspaper reports have linked Alm with Norwegian club Velje BK.

  • IFK Göteborg (6-3-3, 21 points)
    The Angels parted company with striker Victor Sköld, who had 20 goals for Falkenberg in 2013 but had yet to find the net this season in limited playing time at Göteborg. Sköld announced July 5 that he is returning to Falkenberg, which is languishing at the bottom of the table. Sköld’s departure did little to dampen the enthusiasm at Gamla Ullevi following Göteborg 5-0 thrashing of Welsh side Llandudo in a qualifier for the UEFA Europa League. Tobias Hysen scored twice to lead Göteborg to the win. The five-goal cushion should allow head coach Jörgen Lennartsson to give 17-year-old Pontus Dahlberg his first-team debut. The return leg was July 7 in Wales.

  • GIF Sundsvall (5-4-3, 19 points)
    Iceland’s success at the 2016 Euros could be Sundsvall’s loss. Icelandic international Runar Sigurjonsson opened more than a few eyes in the tournament and now French side Nantes is ready to swoop in for the 26-year-old defensive midfielder. Sigurjonsson was among the best players on Iceland’s team and his long throw-ins were an offensive weapon. Sundsvall is also likely to say goodbye to star forward Stefan Silva after Israeli side Beitar Jerusalem made a transfer bid. Sundsvall did not release details of the bid. Sundsvall got some good news as Noah Sanko Sundberg said he would remain with the club through the end of the seasaon. Sundberg is on loan to Sundsvall from AIK. The central defender has started all 12 games for Sundsvall.

  • Elfsborg (5-2-5, 17 points)
    Viktor Claesson isn’t going anywhere. That’s the word from Borås Arena as Elfsborg has reportedly turned down several bids for the 24-year-old midfielder. Elfsborg reportedly spurned a 12 million kronor offer from a French club, instead holding out for 15 million to 20 million kronor. Elfsborg has a reason to want so much for the talented Claesson as it won the sweepstakes for Tunisian striker Issam Jebali, who is moving to Borås from IFK KVarnamo. Jebali turned down offers from Malmö and Göteborg.

  • BK Häcken (5-1-6, 16 points)
    Häcken finds out July 7 who it will face in the UEFA Europa League. Cork City of Ireland and Linfield FC met July 7 in the second leg of the first-round qualifiers. The second round opens July 14. Häcken apparently has an eye on the future as the striker rich club announced it would pick up Alhasan Kamara on a free transfer in the fall. Kamara currently plays for Örebro but plans to become a free agent when his contract expires.

  • Kalmar (4-4-4, 16 points)
    Kalmar and Rasmus Elm came to terms on a contract extension that will keep the former Swedish international at Guldfågeln for another three years. It was one of the bright spots of the break for Kalmar, which saw leading scorer Marcus Antonsson bolt the club for English Championship side Leeds United. Antonsson scored 10 of Kalmar’s 18 goals this season. He left the club on a Bosman free transfer. Kalmar will also be without talented fullback Emin Nouri when it faces AIK July 10. Nouri has been fighting back spasms and said on July 6 that he likely would not be able to play.

  • Djurgården (5-0-7, 15 points)
    After a lackluster first half, Djurgården took steps to address a lack of on-field leadership and scoring by signing former AIK star Magnus Eriksson to a three-year deal. Eriksson left AIK in 2013 to play first for Brondby in Denmark before a sojourn in China. He led the Allsvenskan in scoring in his final season at AIK with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists). Eriksson’s arrival comes just in time as Mattias Ranegie announced he wants out of the Tele2 Arena. The striker is unhappy with the amount of playing time he has had and said he entertaining offers to leave DIF. Djurgården is also missing striker Sam Johnson, who went into the hospital July 2 with malaria.

  • Jönköpings Södra (3-6-3, 15 points)
    Jönköpings is looking for a new trainer after Jimmy Thelin left the newcomers for BK Häcken. Thelin will complete the season with the club before moving to Häcken to take over from Peter Gerhardsson. Erik Edman will take over as Jönköpings new trainer. J-Södra is taking a look at a 19-year-old American central defender as it readies for the second half of the season. Jimmy Yueill of the Minnesota Thunder has been training with the club for two weeks. Neither side has said whether the young Midwesterner would sign with the team.

  • Helsingborg (4-3-5, 15 points)
    The Skåne side has been relatively quiet during the break as head coach Henrik Larsson remains committed to developing his side's young players, including his son, Jordan. Arguably the one player who could have the biggest impact is striker Moustafa Zeidin, who has yet to make his debut with the first team. Zeidin is the top-ranked prospect in the Allsvenskan, and Helsingborg has resisted offers from Aston Villa and other English sides for the 18-year-old No. 10. Larsson believes Zeidin could be an impact player in the fall season, although he has yet to say when the talented teen will makes his debut.

  • Östersund (4-3-5, 15 points)
    Östersund midfielder Brwa Nouri is channeling his inner Zlatan. The OFK vice-captain said on July 4 that he is looking to make a move, announcing, “I am better than this.” Östersund is currently just above the relegation zone despite playing an impressive offensive, pass-oriented style of football. Defensively, OFK has had problems and Nouri, an Iranian-born offensive midfielder, said he wants to progress in his career even if the club fails to stay up. “Everyone has ambitions to be the best and I want to show what I can do,” Nouri told Fotbolldirekt.se.

  • Hammarby (3-4-5, 13 points)
    The first half of the season did not progress the way Hammarby fans or officials expected and the club has said it plans to make some changes once the transfer window opens on July 11. With more than 90 Allsvenskan players possibly available as their contracts expire, Hammarby could be one of the major players in the summer silly season. The Bajen, however, will likely work hard to resign at least three of its own free agents, including team captain Kennedy Bakircioglu, midfielder Phillip Haglund and Brazilian striker Alex.

  • Gefle (1-2-9, 5 points)
    With just one win in the first half, Gefle needs to make changes but economic realities could see the Gävle side accepting its fate of relegation. Gefle did pick up Finnish midfielder Adam Vidjeskog on loan from FF Jaro, but there is scant hope at the club of remaining in the top flight.

  • Falkenberg (1-1-10, 4 points)
    Last-place Falkenberg is on the hunt for players who can pull the club out of the basement. Göteborgstidningen reported July 3 that the club is scouring the lower divisions of Swedish football. Club director Lars-Eric Nilsson confirmed the search but refused to comment on which players he is targeting.

  • Sweden's National Team
    After a poor performance at the 2016 UEFA European Championships in France, in which the team collectively managed just three shots on goal in three matches, the Swedish national team is turning the page. Gone is head coach Erik Hamrén, who stepped down after the tournament, and in comes former Norrköping boss Janne Andersson. Goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, midfielder Kim Källström and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic all announced their retirement from international football. Zlatan, who joined Manchester United, once more was a flop at the Euros as he registered just one shot on goal.