PHOTO: Bildbyrån
NHL star Erik Karlsson has a strong interest in soccer.
Now the 34-year-old has taken his interest to the next level, and bought himself into League One club Burton Albion.
– It will be great fun, says Karlsson to Aftonbladet.
Burton Albion barely managed to stay in the English third division of football, League One, last season.
Now the club has new owners.
Part of a consortium
Nordic Football Group, a consortium of businessmen and investors from the Nordic region, has bought the club and thus becomes the Swedish NHL star, Erik Karlssonnew partner in the club.
– I received a request from the ownership group Nordic Football Group about a year ago and this past weekend everything became clear, Karlsson, who has recently finished an NHL season with his Pittsburgh Penguins and a WC bronze, tells Aftonbladet.
The article continues below.
Burton Albion is a club from the town of Burton upon Trent, which is located less than an hour outside of Birmingham. The team currently plays in the third division, but played as recently as the 2017/18 season in the second division, The Championship.
Regained interest
– Burton is my new favorite team. In the past, Arsenal has been my team. I followed them very closely in the 90s and early 00s and now in recent years I have regained interest, says Karlsson to Aftonbladet and continues:
– Now I hope to see Burton play against Arsenal at some point.
However, Erik Karlsson will not be the only Swede to co-own a club in the English league system.
Since before, his best friend, Victor Hedman in the NHL club Tampa Bay Lightning, co-owner of the Championship club Plymouth Argyle.
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