25 June 2024
Victor Eriksson turned out a lot like Vadim Demidov.
Both were Scandinavia central defenders Minnesota United signed during an offseason — Demidov in 2017 and Eriksson in January. But both immediately struggled adjusting to MLS play, and the Loons moved on from the players soon afterward.
That parallel was confirmed Tuesday. MNUFC is finalizing a transfer of Eriksson to return to his native Sweden and join Hammarby, a source told Pioneer Press.
Eriksson had a handful of unsightly moments in MLS. He allowed a goal in his brief 8-minute debut against Philadelphia Union in March and didn’t see the field again in league play until June. He wasn’t much better after a stint with MNUFC2 and totaled only 163 minutes across four MLS matches.
Demidov was outclassed in his three March games of the Loons’ debut season, amassing only 270 minutes and never playing again for Minnesota. The club worked to offload the Norwegian that summer, but weren’t able to find a suitor and finally bought out his contract in early 2018.
The difference between the two Scandinavian slip-ups is Demidov was the club’s initial captain and its highest-paid player ($550,000). The then-30-year-old’s faceplant in the U.S was a big domino to fall as the Loons gave up a then-MLS-record 70 goals.
Eriksson was brought in under much less high-profile circumstances. The 23-year-old was out of contract with Varnamo in Sweden and was brought in to be a piece player to push starters Michael Boxall and Micky Tapias. His salary was $264,375, per MLS Players Association.
Eriksson’s exit, however, does not reflect well on new Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad, who has extensive history with soccer in Sweden. During the primary transfer window, new Loons leader El-Ahmad brought in eight total players on relative bargain deals, with Eriksson having arguably the most-intriguing profile as well as the highest salary of the bunch and the biggest commitment from the club (a three-year contract, plus an option year)..
Cutting ties now shows El-Ahmad wasn’t forcing it to work out with Eriksson, and El-Ahmad shows willingness to move on if evidence shows it’s probably for the best for all parties. Besides soccer, Eriksson also appeared to have a tougher time adjusting to live off the field in the U.S.
Ramsay was asked Tuesday why it didn’t work out for Eriksson at MNUFC. “It was a difficult set of circumstances with how Vic came into the club, I would say, with how long he had spent without playing, the quirks in the way the seasons work,” Ramsay said. “I think when we were at our best this year, our back line did really, really well and it was difficult for him to find playing minutes.
“I think it’s best for him that he pursues an opportunity at a really good level at a really good club, where hopefully he can really kick on with his career,” Ramsay continued. “We wish him nothing but the best.”
With Loons defender Kervin Arriaga on his way to Serbian club Partizan, MNUFC has a glaring need at center back going in the summer transfer window, which opens July 18.
“Undoubtedly, it will be,” Ramsay said about that position being a priority next month. “It’s a difficulty linked to the timing with the window and the situation we are in at the moment. We find ourselves short for the coming weeks and months, but hopefully a couple of steps back to then go and take a couple of steps forward, if not three or four (steps) in the window. So I’m excited about that. Between now and then, we will do our very best with what we’ve got.”
Briefly
Arriaga is believed to be receiving a huge raise with Partizan; his MLS salary was $259,667 in 2024, according to MLSPA. … Teemu Pukki has returned from Finland and was rehabbing his knee injury on the side Tuesday. Ramsay pegged a possible Pukki return for the match at L.A. Galaxy on July 7. … Devin Padelford is out of concussion protocol. The Maplewood man trained Tuesday and will likely be available to play Saturday at Portland Timbers. … Michael Boxall, who has been playing through an ankle injury, sat out Tuesday training to nurse the ailment going into the weekend. … Loons Under-17 academy player Aidan Martinez, of Austin, Minn., trained with the first team Tuesday. … Hugo Bacharach suffered a hamstring injury during his rehab from a meniscus tear in his knee. That has kept him out longer than the projected 6-8 weeks after surgery in April.