Manchester United’s lengthy pursuit of Benfica and Sweden centre-back Victor Lindelof finally seems to be over.
The Portuguese side has announced that they have accepted an offer from Old Trafford worth €35 million up front a year after rumours first started to circulate over a deal., with another potential €10 million in bonuses for capped Sweden defender who has 12 caps for the national side.
Next season, the 22-year-old will take his place in Jose Mourinho’s squad as they attempt to recapture the Premier League and make a fresh assault on Europe. But having only been a first-team regular in Portugal for one year, Lindelof remains a relative unknown.
Here are five things that you may not have known about one of the brightest young centre-backs in the modern game:
#1 Nicknamed ‘Iceman’
Lindelof is a player who is still very inexperienced in footballing terms. The last season at Benfica, during which he played 47 times, was his first campaign as a starter. Nevertheless, his composure on the ball has earned him the nickname ‘Iceman’.
This was evident last Friday, as he was one of the stars who helped Sweden to an unexpected 2-1 victory over France in a World Cup qualifier. It was just his 12th cap for his country, yet he performed like a veteran.
Another aspect of his play that could be considered ice cool is his timing. He only received one booking in the whole of 2016-17 – an incredible record for a player in his position.
#2 Has the backing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic
It has been widely speculated that Zlatan Ibrahimovic told Jose Mourinho to sign the youngster up, having worked with him on the international scene briefly. Their Sweden careers may only just have overlapped, with the striker retiring after Euro 2016, but Ibra was suitably impressed enough for the forward to speak of him in the highest terms.
“Is he good enough for United? I think he is ready for the big clubs out there. It is up to him what he wants and what the situation says. Whatever he chooses, it will be good for him,” Zlatan said.
However, they won’t get a chance to team up again at club level, with Ibra released by PSG last week.
#3 Loves Call of Duty
There is one thing that Manchester United’s new signing loves, it’s playing Call of Duty. His obsession with the game has been driven so far that last season he used to carry a console with him to allow him to play prior to away matches.
Online gaming is a particular joy for the 22-year-old, who plays with his two brothers and former Sweden Under-21 colleague Simon Sandberg, who today plays with Levski Sofia.
“We play together. It’s great fun to sit and talk with the guys and just play a game to pass the time a little,” he admitted. However, it’s Sandberg who is the leader of this team, “He’s great, so he’s the captain.”
#4 His private life is very accessible
Maja Nilsson (@majanilsson ) has lifted the lid on his private life, tweeting some embarrassing pictures of the defender, including one of him standing on a kitchen chair to reach the cheese puffs, which were on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard. She has also caught him playing computer games when he should have been doing the laundry and taking pictures of him wandering his apartment in his underwear, offering remarkable transparency into his life.
“It’s her Twitter and she’s very funny,” the defender admitted to Aftonbladet. “She has to do what she wants. She likes to make fun of me and that’s fine. If people think she’s funny, she’ll do it.”
#5 An NHL fan
Ice hockey is a big sport in Sweden, which is little surprise given the chilly climate, so it is little surprise that Lindelof is something of a fan of the sport.
He enjoys a particular link with Chicago Blackhawks forward Dennis Rasmussen, who is now in his second year in the NHL – the top level of the sport. Both were born in Vasteras, a relatively small city 100 kilometres west of Stockholm, which has a population of around 150,000.
The two stars have previously exchanged their respective shirts, although Rasmussen is four years the footballer’s senior.
