Minnesota United FC appear to have found their starting goalkeeper, as Swedish club IFK Goteborg announced on Thursday that veteran ‘keeper John Alvbage is headed to the expansion club.
According to Goteborg’s statement, Alvbage will initially head to Minnesota on loan through July 15. The Loons will then have the option to extend the loan for another 18 months.
Alvbage, 34, has spent the vast majority of his career in his native Sweden. He’s been the first-choice goalkeeper at Goteborg since 2012, making 131 league appearances for the club in that span. He began his career with Swedish club Torslanda IK in 1999, moving to Vastra Frolunda in 2000 and establishing himself as a starter in 2001 and 2002 before heading to Orebro SK in 2003.
He played two years with Orebro then, after a brief stop at Goteborg, moved to Danish club Viborg in 2005. He made 87 appearances in three seasons with the club before returning in 2008 to Orebro, where he racked up 107 appearances in four years with the team before signing with Goteborg ahead of the 2012 season.
The 2015 Goalkeeper of the Year in Sweden’s top flight, Alvbage has four caps with the Swedish national team, with his last appearance coming in 2009. He was a member of the team's squad for the 2006 World Cup, but did not make an appearance in the tournament.
Minnesota United currently have zero goalkeepers under contract, though they do have four 'keepers – Alec Ferrell (SuperDraft), Marco Carducci (trialist), Sammy Ndjock (preseason invitee) and Charlie Lyon (trialist) – in camp.
