BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

Seattle Sounders FC's designated player and biggest signing, Freddie Ljungberg, underwent hip surgery in Colorado recently.

Ljungberg has been bothered by nagging hamstring injuries, and when they flared up again in training, the Sounders decided the best option would be surgery. Ljungberg will return to training in an estimated 10-12 weeks. A full recovery is expected.

“Freddie Ljungberg is a player that we value for the long-term,” Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer said in a statement. “As Freddie increased his training regimen for the upcoming season, we wanted to make sure that he was firing on all cylinders for the next two years and beyond.”

“As he increased his training intensity, he suffered a mild re-occurrence of the hamstring problems that have occasionally hampered him over the past two years,” Hanauer said. “At that point, Freddie and the club wanted to be proactive and we decided to have him see the best hip and hamstring specialists in the country.

“It was ultimately determined that the best course of action was to repair a slightly torn labrum, and to shave a very small amount of bone where the hip meets the femur. The objective of this surgery is to eliminate the nagging injuries and to ensure that Freddie has the explosiveness necessary to be a major contributor for Sounders FC every time he steps on the pitch.”

Ljungberg has missed 35 matches because of various injuries since 2002. Of the 35 listed injuries, 12 were either hamstring or hip injuries.

It is believed Ljungberg will be paid $2.5 million annually as the Sounders designated player.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Marc Philippon of the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo.

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com