Official: San Jose Earthquakes transfer Magnus Eriksson to Djurgardens IF

After weeks of speculation, the news became official Friday, with the San Jose Earthquakes confirming they have transferred attacker Magnus Eriksson to Swedish club Djurgardens IF for an undisclosed fee.

Eriksson had been linked with a return to his native country while the Quakes were at the MLS is Back Tournament, and while he demurred when asked about an imminent move at the time, the player ultimately wished to go back home and be closer to his extended family.

“When Magnus arrived from Djurgardens in 2018, he had left a lasting impression in Sweden,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli in a team statement. “After two and a half years with us, we feel he has done the same as he now returns home to be closer to his family. As we look back, we realize we learned a lot about ourselves during his time with the club. Together we grew in confidence, courage and tenacity as a team and Magnus had a big part in that. Thank you, tack själv, Magnus!”

The 30-year-old joined San Jose ahead of the 2018 season and made 69 regular-season appearances in his two and a half seasons in MLS. He scored six goals each of his first two seasons here, and notched 10 assists last season, while also scoring three goals in total across the MLS is Back Tournament, co-leading the Quakes in goals scored in Orlando.

So Eriksson departs on a high. For a player who was expected to kickstart the rebuild in the Fioranelli era and flattered to deceive at first with the Designated Player tag, he improved substantially with time and Matias Almeyda as his manager, and was playing the best soccer of his MLS run as he takes off. I’m sure the Earthquakes aren’t thrilled about that fact from an on-field perspective, since they’ll have to replace him, but his strong play in Florida likely helped ensure a transfer fee for the player and maybe even boosted the amount a bit, so the club likely appreciates that.

Best of luck on the next phase of your career, Magnus.

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