Marika Bergman Lundin is a Hammer.
The 24-year-old midfielder has made the move to east London from Swedish UEFA Women Champions League qualifiers BK Häcken.
An attacking midfielder who likes to drive forward and score goals from distance, Bergman Lundin becomes Rehanne Skinner’s fourth signing of the January window, following the arrivals of Kristie Mewis, Katrina Gorry and Shelina Zadorsky.
In her first West Ham TV interview, Bergman Lundin revealed how excited she is about getting underway in east London and helping Skinner’s team climb the Barclays Women's Super League table.
“It feels good to be here, I can’t wait to get started,” she told West Ham TV. “The transfer came about quite late on [in the window], but I felt like I wanted a new challenge and I wanted to move away from Sweden and try something new. This is a really exciting opportunity!
“I loved playing with Häcken. It was a good two years and it’s where my family lives, it’s a good place. But I really wanted to take the next step, and England is a good step. West Ham just feels like the right Club.”
The midfielder has featured five times for the Gothenburg-based outfit on the European stage, helping them to defeat Real Madrid and reach the round of 16 as recently at Tuesday!
Her experience in the competition, along with her positive attributes, mean she is hoping to make an instant impact in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The midfielder explained: “I feel as though I can add a lot of value from my experiences in the Champions League. I’ve gone up against other big teams in Europe and you see the way that they play and at the tempo that they compete. I always have the Swedish mentality with me too, and we’ll see how it goes here.
“I’m a player who likes to get on the ball, I like to be creative with my passes and be aggressive. I like a good tackle and I just want to win everything.
“Off the pitch, I’m quite social, I like to have a good time at the training ground, and hopefully I can bring some joy to the team in that sense.”
Whilst the 24-year-old admitted that she does not know too much about West Ham, she is familiar with the film ‘Green Street’ and therefore knows a little bit about the passion in the fanbase and is excited to meet the supporters on Sunday against Arsenal
She continued: “I’m looking forward to learning a lot about West Ham and the fans. One of my favourite films is Green Street, so I know a little bit about the Club from there. I watched it with my Dad when I was younger, and I just love the support and the culture.
“In Sweden, the passion is similar, we have a lot of people who go to games and make a lot of noise, so I’m excited to experience some of that here too.”
With the WSL growing from strength to strength and the Hammers in their sixth season in the top division, talented players from abroad continue to flock to England for their football.
Indeed, Bergman Lundin becomes the 13th Swedish player in the WSL, and she is looking forward to testing herself in one of the best leagues in the world.
“I’m excited to be playing in England. The women’s side of the game has grown so much in the last couple of years, and it’s nice to see from far away.
“That’s also why you want to get over to England and be a part of that. When you watch the games, there’s a lot of people that go to the games, and that’s always nice for a footballer.
“It’s been nice to come in today and meet the players and staff, I can’t wait to help the team and play my role in the second half of the campaign.”
