Swedish striker Marcus Berg is right now one of the most sought-after attackers after his Best Player performance at the U21 European Championship, where he scored seven goals in four matches. A number of top European clubs are now lining up to sign him away from Dutch side Groningen.
Start Near Norway Border, Move To IFK Göteborg
Marcus Berg was born on August 17, 1986 in Torsby, Värmland, Sweden, not far from the Norwegian border. Berg started club play at the local side Torsby IF in 2002. He switched to IFK Velen before moving onto the youth ranks of Swedish powers IFK Göteborg. After two years with the youth side, Berg advanced to the Göteborg senior squad and played in the Allsvenskan league in 2005
Allsvenskan Scoring King 2007 With Göteborg
In 14 games during the 2004-05 season with IFK Göteborg, Berg scored three goals. He struck four times in 22 matches during the 2005-06 campaign. And then in the 2006-07 season Berg hammered 14 goals in just 17 games in helping IFK Göteborg win the 2007 league championship and winning the scoring crown.
Mid-Season Transfer To Groningen
After Sweden's first half of the season, Dutch club FC Groningen paid Göteborg about 3.8 euros for Berg. And the young Swede continued his amazing campaign by scoring 15 goals in 25 games in the Eredivise league.
Interest For Berg, Second Straight Strong Season With Groningen
Berg's strong first season with Groningen drew interest from PSV Eindhoven and Ajax Amsterdam. But Berg remained with Groningen and scored 17 goals and had six assists in 31 matches to help Groningen finish in sixth place. His highlight of the 2008-09 season was scoring four goals in Groningen's 5-2 win over Roda JC.
Berg Scouting Report
As a central striker, Berg is known his excellent heading ability while being able to shoot and pass with both right and left feet. He also can score from tough angles.
U21 Side, Standout Performance At 2009 Euros
Berg joined Sweden's U21 national team in August 2006. And his true highlight came at the U21 European Championship in his home country. In Sweden's opener, Berg scored three goals in a 5-1 win over Belarus. He went scoreless in the 2-1 loss against Italy and then struck twice in a 3-1 victory over Serbia. In the semi-final against England, Berg hit twice in a 3-3 game which England won 5-4 on penalties - where he missed. His seven goals in four games set a championship record and he was named the tournament's best player.
Sweden Senior National Team
Berg also has earned seven caps with the Swedish senior side, scoring one goal - in Sweden's 4-0 victory over Malta in World Cup qualifier on June 10, 2009.
No Extension Of 2011 Contract, Value Of At Least 8 Million Euros
The talented Swede refused to extend his contract with Groningen which runs until 2011. And if the Dutch club wants to gain any money from Berg's departure, they will have to let him go soon. His current market value is estimated at 8 million euros.
Interest From Throughout Europe
There is loads of interest throughout Europe for Berg. Clubs from throughout the continent are looking to bring in the central striker. Premier League's Everton have reportedly offered 11.5 million euros while Ajax Amsterdam have an offer of 10 million euros in the media.
The teams listed with interest in Berg are: Benfica, Bayern Munich, AZ Alkmaar, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Sunderland, Fiorentina, Lazio, Getafe, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Villareal
