The European papers today are full of rumors that some of the "top clubs in Europe" are interested in bringing Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg back across to ocean to play there.

Today, Ljungberg told me -- and his agent Claes Elefalk of CAA just confirmed from Sweden -- that he is not interested in leaving the Sounders and that he plans to play both seasons of the two-year contract he signed last Oct. 28.

"No. 1, the last few weeks myself and CAA have received plenty of requests and calls from top European teams asking about Freddie," Elefalk said in a phone interview. "My second quote is that Freddie is aware of this, and he is not at all interested whatsoever. His only focus is to play in Seattle, and he will for sure play the entire contract out."

Elefalk said he couldn't name names because requests from specific clubs are confidential. However he did say, "All those teams know Freddie would not even look at anything else but Champions League teams."

After training at Starfire today, Ljungberg said: "I've said that I want to stay in Seattle, and I'm happy here."

Ljungberg is the Sounders' designated player, and their highest-paid player at a reported $1,314,000 per season.

He has two goals and five assists halfway through his first MLS season and was named Monday to the MLS all-star team, along with teammate goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Ljungberg scored 72 goals in 328 games with Arsenal of the English Premier League. He was Sweden's player of the year in 2002 and 2006. He played with West Ham of the EPL last season before coming to the Sounders.

No surprise, but Patrick Ianni's game-winning bicycle kick is among the nominees for MLS goal of the week.

Here's the list and the ballot.

Sunday, July 19
Tacoma Tide vs Kitsap Pumas

This Sunday at 1:00pm from Curtis HS Stadium, tomorrow's professionals of US Soccer will play for Puget Sound Supremacy. The Kitsap Pumas, a new team to the PDL this season provide a new rivalry with the Tacoma Tide FC. In addition to the bragging rights on the line for two teams separated by the Tacoma Narrows, there is also a special trophy called the Narrows Bridge Bell (pictured above).

For more information, see TacomaTideSports.com

Here's my story from today on the MLS First XI all-star picks. I tell it mostly through the eyes of GM Adrian Hanauer, since Keller and Ljungberg weren't expansion draft guys or SuperDraft guys, but guys that the Sounders picked out from something like a worldwide pool.

Anyway, with 11 all-stars elected and seven more yet to be picked, the obvious question to build on our conversation of yesterday is what Sounders still deserve a spot on the squad?

I think good cases can be made for Fredy Montero, Osvaldo Alonso and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado ... but it's hard to imagine three Sounders out of the final seven roster spots.

So, which one -- maybe two -- Sounders are most deserving to join Ljungberg and Keller on the trip to Utah?