The Colorado Rapids announced on Tuesday the signing of attacking midfielder Johan Blomberg from Sweden’s AIK Fotboll, subject to receipt of the player’s ITC. Blomberg becomes the Rapids’ first offseason signing and will occupy an international roster spot in 2018.
“We have had an eye on Johan for quite some time and he is someone who we believe will add an extra creative dimension to our team,” said Rapids Sporting Director and Interim General Manager, Pádraig Smith. “Johan fits into the way we want to play and we’re confident he will improve our team – especially on the attacking side. He is a versatile, forward-thinking player who possesses the creativity and game intelligence to make an impact in this league.”
Prior to signing with the Rapids, Blomberg had spent his entire professional career in his home country, tallying 28 goals and 39 assists for Ängelholms FF, Halmstads BK, and AIK. This past season, Blomberg had three goals and six assists in 28 league appearances for AIK in Sweden’s top flight division, while also appearing in five Europa League qualifiers.
“I chose the Colorado Rapids because I believe in the team’s vision for the future, the way they want to play the game, and because the move offers new challenges both on and off the pitch,” said Blomberg. “My family and I are very excited and we can’t wait to move to Denver and officially begin this new chapter of our lives.”
Born in Lund, Sweden, Blomberg made his debut for Ängelholms FF on May 17, 2009, playing the final eight minutes of a 3-1 loss against Qviding in Sweden’s second division. Blomberg would go on to make nine appearances in his rookie season.
Following the 2011 campaign, Blomberg signed for Halmstads BK, where he would notch two goals and five assists in 29 appearances, helping the club earn promotion to the nation’s top-tier division. He went on to appear in 100 matches for HBK, tallying 14 goals and 14 assists in three seasons.
In 2015, Blomberg moved to Swedish giants AIK Fotboll, guiding the club to consecutive runner-up finishes in 2016-17. During his three-year stint with the club, Blomberg made 108 appearances in all competitions, while scoring ten times and adding 22 assists.
