Former Hammer Freddie Ljungberg has been appointed the caretaker manager of Arsenal after the sacking of Unai Emery.

Emery has become the latest Premier League manager victim after 18 months in charge. The Spaniard, who previously led Paris St-Germain to the French league title and won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla, was appointed Gunners boss in May 2018, succeeding Arsene Wenger.

Emery was heavily linked to a move to West Ham before the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini with suggestions that he was due to be interviewed by David Sullivan at his Essex mansion in the summer of 2018. You can almost guarantee that his sacking will lead to his linking with West Ham again.

Ljungberg joined West Ham on a four-year contract in 2007 under the Icelandics after nine years at Arsenal. Ljungberg made his Hammers debut on the opening day of the 2007/08 Premier League season, in West Ham’s 0–2 home defeat by Manchester City on 11 August, a game in which he was also captain. After seven months at the club, Ljungberg finally scored his first goal for West Ham in the home match against Birmingham City on 9 February 2008, putting West Ham up 1–0, with the game finishing 1–1. Ljungberg also scored away at Sunderland a month later in a 1–2 defeat, being his final goal for the club.

In his last game of the season, Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor accidentally landed on top of him while trying to jump over him, breaking his ribs. The injury sidelined Ljungberg for the rest of the season. Ljungberg later agreed to terminate his contract only after one year into the four-year deal for a sum of £6 million. Ljungberg stated afterwards, “I gave my all at West Ham and enjoyed my time there but the decision is the best for the both of us. Now, I will take my time to consider my football future.”