Viktor Claesson to leave F.C. Copenhagen this summer
When the season comes to an end this summer, F.C. Copenhagen will say goodbye to a prominent figure in the squad, Viktor Claesson.
Claesson will leave the club when his contract expires and end a chapter that has left a substantial mark on the club, both on and off the pitch.
The 34-year-old Swede joined F.C. Copenhagen in the spring of 2022 and has since been a key part of the team. So far, he has played 172 games and scored 37 goals in the white shirt – figures that are accompanied by three Danish championships, two Danish Cups and, not least, three participations in the UEFA Champions League.
Reflecting on the decision, Claesson says: “It’s good timing for me and my family. We’re moving home to Sweden, and it feels like the right time. I think that it also suits F.C. Copenhagen well – it’s time for others to take over.
“I am really happy with my years here. Coming to such a big club as F.C. Copenhagen, Scandinavia’s biggest, was a bit of a coincidence after my time in Russia, but I have never regretted the decision for a single second.
“My goal has always been to leave the club in a good place. I think we are stronger now than when I came, and we can compete against opponents at a higher level. I will always follow F.C. Copenhagen – and I will always be an FCK fan.”
Claesson also reflected on some of the trophies he has helped win so far and the experiences, although the real evaluation will have to wait until the summer.
“We have won all the titles you can win here in Copenhagen: three championships and two cups, and we have played big European matches – three Champions League campaigns, which I will always take with me,” he says.
“For now. Because we are still going for more. We know it will be difficult and requires hard work.”
Sports director Sune Smith-Nielsen highlighted Claesson's importance far beyond the statistics, saying: “Viktor has been a great personality on and off the pitch. He is a true team player who has always put the team first.
"Viktor has always represented the club in the right way. It was the right timing for us and Viktor to say goodbye this summer, and we hope and believe that he has not won his last title at F.C. Copenhagen. We know that he will continue to work hard - that is who he is.”
Nu var den rigtige timing for os og Viktor, at sige farvel til sommer, og vi håber og tror på, at han ikke har vundet sin sidste titel i F.C. København. Vi ved, at han vil fortsætte med at arbejde stenhårdt – det er den, han er,” siger Sune Smith-Nielsen.
Head coach Jacob Neestrup also emphasizes Claesson's role as a culture bearer and leader, saying: “From day one, you could tell he was a team player. Both in my time as assistant and as head coach, he was a player who naturally took responsibility and became captain.
"Always the team's man. Always loyal. Good in the locker room and with important goals, especially when we needed it most. He has been central to major European campaigns and acted as a Scandinavian flag bearer in terms of culture and values."
This summer, F.C. Copenhagen will say goodbye to a player who has not only delivered on the pitch, but who has also helped define the culture of the squad. Viktor Claesson leaves a clear mark that goes beyond the scoreboard.