Albin Ekdal

Albin Ekdal

File:Albin Ekdal 2012.jpg Ekdal in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Albin Ekdal
Date of birth	(1989-07-28) 28 July 1989
Place of birth	Stockholm, Sweden
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Hamburg
Number	20
Youth career
2005–2006	IF Brommapojkarna
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2008	IF Brommapojkarna	24	(0)
2008–2010	Juventus	3	(0)
2009–2010	→ Siena (loan)	26	(1)
2010–2011	Bologna	22	(1)
2011–2015	Cagliari	114	(8)
2015–	Hamburg	8	(0)
International career‡
2004–2006	Sweden U17	18	(5)
2007–2008	Sweden U19	8	(2)
2008–2010	Sweden U21	12	(2)
2011–	Sweden	20	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2015

Albin Ekdal (born 28 July 1989 in Stockholm) is a Swedish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bundesliga club Hamburg.

Club career

Brommapojkarna

Albin Ekdal started his professional playing career with Brommapojkarna at the beginning of the 2007 Allsvenskan season. He played mainly as a right winger but also as an attacking midfielder or right midfielder.

Juventus

On May 23, 2008, he signed an official four-year contract with Juventus F.C.. Ekdal turned down offers from other clubs including Chelsea and Inter when he was just 16 and 17 years old because his father, the journalist Lennart Ekdal, said he had to finish high school first. Ekdal made his Serie A debut on October 18, 2008 in the 1–2 defeat against Napoli when he came on as a substitute in the 75th minute, replacing Christian Poulsen.

Siena

On July 15, 2009 A.C. Siena signed Ekdal on loan from Juventus F.C. for a season. In his lone season with the club, Ekdal was very impressive, making 27 appearances with 1 goal, although this was not enough to save the club from relegation. He was called up to end season friendly tour in the US from Juventus and call-up to pre-season camp on 1 July.

Bologna

On June 28, 2010 Juventus F.C. sold 50% of their shares in Ekdal to Bologna. Before each season the two clubs need to come to terms in what club he will play that season. He quickly established himself as a starter for the club.

Cagliari

On 24 June, he returned to Juventus as they beat Bologna in the blind auction. But on August 21, 2011 he was sold in a co-ownership deal to fellow Serie A club Cagliari Calcio.

On September 28, 2014, Ekdal scored a hat-trick as Cagliari won 4–1 at Inter Milan.

Hamburger SV

On 18 July 2015, German club Hamburg signed Ekdal from Cagliari on a 4-year deal for €4.5 Million which will earn him €600.000 per season. He was given the number 20 shirt.

International career

Ekdal made his debut for Sweden on 10 August 2011 in a friendly game against Ukraine.

Personal life

He is the son of Lennart Ekdal, an award-winning Swedish journalist, TV personality and newscaster known for his work for the newspaper Dagens Nyheter and the financial magazine Veckans Affärer, as well as hosting TV shows such as Kalla fakta, Halvtid för Reinfeldt, Kvällsöppet med Ekdal & Hakelius and Hetluft. Ekdal is since his childhood a Djurgårdens IF supporter and could consider a move to the Stockholm-based club after his career abroad.

External links

• Goal.com profile