JOHAN LARSSON says Aberdeen have pulled off Scottish football’s biggest signing of the summer.
And the Elfsborg skipper expects Jesper Karlsson to show he’s the Premiership’s top Swede ahead of Celtic star Benjamin Nygren.
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Dons boss Jimmy Thelin landed the one-time £10million winger on a season-long loan from Bologna in an 11pm deadline-day move.
His former Elfsborg team-mate Larsson said: “With all respect to Aberdeen, if you said he was going to Scotland you would think it would be to Celtic or Rangers.
“I can’t say I know everything about the transfers in Scotland this summer, but he has to be one of the best ones.
“I know Benjamin Nygren has been a big asset to Celtic, but Jesper Karlsson has more than his level in himself.
“Do I think he’s better? For sure, yeah.
“There is obviously more pressure playing for Celtic, if you do good you are in the newspapers every day, and if you perform for Aberdeen that’s something different.
“But for me, if you compare, I’d pick Jesper.”
Karlsson played under Pittodrie gaffer Thelin at Elfsborg, before tearing it up during three seasons at AZ Alkmaar and earning his big-money move to Bologna in 2023.
Larsson added: “Jesper was a big name in Sweden, he had a big breakthrough in AZ Alkmaar and got his move to Italy.
“That hasn’t lived up to the expectation, but he’s young and he’s a quality player for sure.
“It’s hard to go to a league like Serie A, but I was thinking if he left in this window he would be going to Belgium or the Netherlands.
“I was actually surprised when I heard because I thought it was a level too low for him.
“But Jesper is eager to get back into the national team and really get his confidence back.
“He will be a big success in Scotland with Aberdeen, and I have no doubts he will make it at Bologna once he’s got his confidence back.”
The Dons have struggled for goals this season, drawing blanks in all three Premiership games.
Thelin was backed to remedy that by adding Karlsson and striker Kevin Nisbet in the final hours of the window.
So Larsson, 35, can’t see their woes in front of goal continuing — because his pal can win games on his OWN.
He said: “Jesper is the type of player you need to win you games — he can do that by himself.
“He has the X-factor and puts defences under terror. He has a great shot with both feet, he can run at teams and hurt them because he’s really quick.
“Jesper is a player who guarantees you points, he will be a massive asset.
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“Getting him in will be really big for Jimmy because he can have the quality they need to win games in the league and also in Europe.
“A big part of him going to Aberdeen will be to work with Thelin, who will help him find his level before the World Cup.”
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