Over what looks set to be a turbulent summer, Rosengård have confirmed that Danish international, Sofie Junge Pedersen won’t be returning after the Euros but there is yet good news for the former champions as, Anja Mittag has extended her deal.
Anja Mittag
A fan favourite during her first spell with Rosengård, Mittag struggled to replicate her best form after she left Malmö and less than perfect spells at Paris Saint Germain and VfL Wolfsburg saw her return to her old stomping ground earlier this year. Though after having warmed the bench in Wolfsburg for most of her time there, both coach Jack Majgaard Jensen and sporting director, Therese Sjögran admitted it would take time for the German international to regain her best form.
Initially handed a deal that ran until the mid-season break for the European Championships, Sjögran has been pleased enough with what she’s seen this season to agree a new deal with the highly decorated striker. Signed on until the summer of 2019, Mittag has expressed her joy over the new deal saying not just that’s she’s “very happy” to agree new terms and stay on but that Malmö is her “home” and she wants to help the club be successful.
Adding a gravity to the attacking line, Sjögran is hoping that Mittag will help the team pick up more points in the second half of the season – her late goal against Kristianstad at the start of this month an important one to ensure maximum points and keep FCR within reach of Linköping. Though there squad could change considerably over the summer break, Sjögran is certain that Rosengård have the “best attacking pair” in Damallsvenskan in Mittag and Lotta Schelin.
Sofie Junge
“A lot has happened during her time here,” Sjögran says of midfielder, Junge. The director isn’t being hyperbolic, the Danish international struggled with a knee complaint not long after her move from Fortuna Hjørring before being heavily side-lined with a concussive injury.
An astute defensive midfielder, Junge impressed at Hjørring and carved out a regular spot for herself in the Danish national team under former coach, Kenneth Heiner-Møller and current coach, Nils Nielsen is of the same ilk. However, a head injury sustained at the start of 2016 has stunted her development, forced to sit out all of last season through the severe concussion, the injury so extreme she could often do no more than lay in bed, unable to read or be physically active.
The road back has been a long one for Junge but with time back on the pitch this year, she’s began to get back to her old self again, but without a confirmed spot in the starting XI, the option not to renew her deal seems best for both involved. A decision about “playing time” in a crowded midfield, Sjögran reported Junge as taking the “decision well.”
Already announced in Nielsen’s Denmark squad for the Euros, the 25-year-old will reportedly consider all her options before making a serious decision on her future after the tournament.