Earlier this week, the newly created super one team Helsingborg presented its new coach Jörgen Lennartsson.
A recruitment based on long-term and continuity for HIF, which this year finished second to last in the Allsvenskan and left.
Andreas Granqvist's plan is to continue to have dual roles as sports director and center back in the football club.
- My thought, as everyone knows, is that I want to play football next season as well and get into the European Championship squad.
When I'm on the football field, I'm a player and nothing else, so our roles are very clear, he said at Wednesday's press conference when Lennartsson was presented.
Gone for six months
"Granen" was a key player and team captain when Sweden reached the quarterfinals at the World Cup in Russia 2018. But persistent groin problems have disturbed the 35-year-old since then and kept him completely away from games for six months (since the 0-4 match against Kalmar FF in Allsvenskan in June).
When Helsingborg regroups again after Christmas and New Year, he hopes to be relevant for a comeback early in the pre-season.
Granqvist did not play in any of Blågult's ten international matches this year.
Still rehab
- I run rehab quite hard and hope to be quite close to being able to play football when we start again here in mid-January.
Then we will see when the new medical team (in Helsingborg) has looked at me, when we see each other in early January.
Right now I am very positive to be on the plane again when we start again in mid-January.
In February, HIF has matches in the Swedish Cup and in May, national team captain Janne Andersson is expected to take the squad to this summer's European Championship finals in football.