LARSSON

Last updated : 03 December 2006 By Ed

Jesper Blomqvist:

Asked if he could see Larsson staying longer term, Blomqvist said: "More than the goals, he needs to have his family behind him too. But, I think if he's doing really well, he would.

"He's a quality player.

"Obviously, he may need a few weeks to get in the right tempo but he's been playing here in Sweden the whole season now so he should be in good form anyway.

"I think he's still motivated to have another go, even a short one."

Ole:

"When you hear someone like Henrik is coming in, a buzz goes round the dressing room.

"In terms of outfield players, he must be the best Scandinavian player of the last 10 or 15 years, certainly since Michael Laudrup.

"And, if you look around the world and see the players who are available and are also eligible to play in Europe, there is not likely to be anyone better.

"I am really delighted he is coming and am already looking forward to meeting up with him.

"He proved at Celtic and Barcelona he can handle the pressure of being at a top club with big expectations and he is also used to the British style of play.

"You only have to see the way he came out of international retirement and had such an influence on Sweden to see what he can do and I sure he will come in here and have a good influence on us as well."


The Observer:

Sir Alex Ferguson has defended his decision to sign 35-year-old Henrik Larsson on loan and says Manchester United plan more transfer activity in January.

Ferguson, who also revealed he will be recalling 19-year-old Giuseppe Rossi from his loan spell at Newcastle at the beginning of next month, says Larsson could have the same impact at Old Trafford as Teddy Sheringham.

'Some players look after themselves very well, so their age confuses you in terms of what you see on the football field,' said Ferguson. 'I let Teddy go five years ago when he got an offer from Tottenham which I told him he'd be stupid to turn down. He has played for two other clubs since then, which is amazing.'


Mail on Sunday:

Henrik Larsson will be the highest-paid player at Manchester United, earning an astonishing £1.25 million for the three months he will spend at Old Trafford after last week's dramatic swoop for the 35-year-old former Swedish international.

United's offer of £125,000 a week was one Larsson could not refuse — not even when his former club, Barcelona, attempted to hijack the United deal.

The contract edges him ahead of England stars Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney as the club's top dressing-room earner.

"This is a dream opportunity for me, which I just could not turn down,' said Larsson.


The Indie:

Henrik Larsson enjoys his anonymity and might just have been another face in the crowd in the Parken Stadium on Wednesday watching his beloved Celtic take on FC Copenhagen in the Champions' League, had it not been for the persistence of an equally stubborn Scot.

It is third time lucky for Sir Alex Ferguson in his bid to make the Swede a Manchester United player. Larsson (below) had gone home to Helsingborg, across the water from Copenhagen, to relect on a glorious career with Celtic and Barcelona that ended with the European Cup last May.

Now Larsson could be back in the Champions' League - if United beat Benfica to join Celtic in the last 16 - as one of the most innovative signings for years. Speculation suggested that Fergie was about to splash out £20m on Fernando Torres, but he chose instead someone whose prolific record at Celtic won him the European Golden Boot in 2001.

To paraphrase FC Copenhagen's shirt sponsor, Larsson doesn't do guest appearances, but if he did, they would probably be the best guest appearances in the world. The 35-year-old has not been softened up by semi-retirement with his hometown team. Barcelona were trying to sign him on a similar deal to fill the void left by the injured Samuel Eto'o. But he resisted, just as he turned down Celtic last year, who wanted The Magnificent Seven to come back to the club where his 242 goals in seven seasons made him an idol. Larsson was equally implacable when Ferguson twice tried to lure him from Parkhead.


Stuart Pearce:

"I think Larsson will be a big hit in the Premiership because he is an extremely clever player.

"It is a massive coup for United. I know he is only here for a 13-game period but they have done well to convince him to come.

"He will brighten the place up. When you look at his goalscoring record, it is absolutely astonishing.

"It is a fantastic loan signing, maybe the loan signing of the window."