NorthEast United FC have roped in Swedish midfielder Simon Lundevall to aid the team’s top four push in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20 season. The Swede comes in with a lot of experience having played in the Europa League and the top-tier of Swedish league football. Lundevall is the second acquisition by the club in the winter transfer window after striker Andrew Keogh.

The 31-year-old exclusively plied his trade in his home country, Sweden before signing for the Highlanders. This will be his first stint outside his native country.Lundevall has been roped in as a replacement for Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an injury.

Starting with Eskilstuna City as a 17-year-old, Lundevall moved to Vasteras SK in 2009. In 2011, Gefle IF moved in to sign him and after an impressive stint of four years, the midfielder was snapped up by IF Elfsborg. He was on Elfsborg’s books for the last four seasons and played 160 games for the club, scoring 24 goals and accumulating 43 assists.

The versatile player primarily operates as a left midfielder but is also adept at playing across the midfield line, including as a number ten and on the wings.

Lundevall also has a solitary cap for the Swedish national team, having donned the famed Blue and Yellow jersey in an international friendly against Finland in 2015.

The Highlanders are currently ninth in the Hero ISL table with 11 points from as many matches. With seven league matches left, Robert Jarni’s men need to pick up some quick points in order to mount a last-ditch challenge for the top four and will hope their new signing can hit the ground running to help them in that endeavour. Lundevall’s experience and ability to both score and create goals will be a big positive for the Highlanders. NorthEast’s next match this season will be against rivals ATK FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on January 27.