(Sports Network) - Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg underwent surgery to repair a hip condition, the Major League Soccer club announced.

"Freddie Ljungberg is a player that we value for the long term," Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer said. "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."

Ljungberg, who signed a designated player contract with the 2009 expansion club earlier this year, is expected to make a full recovery and his projected return to training is 10-12 weeks.

"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."

Sounders FC will open training camp Jan. 21, with their MLS opener being on March 19 vs. the New York Red Bulls at Qwest Field.



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