Curbishley: We love you Freddie

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Ljungberg, 30, quit Arsenal for West Ham on Monday in a three-year deal worth around £60,000-a-week. West Ham may eventually pay close to £3million for Ljungberg but boss Curbishley reckons the outlay is well worth it to gain a player with the Swede's undoubted experience.

He said: "Freddie brings a few things into the equation - his Champions League experience for one. He is versatile and can play in different positions and then there is his hunger."

He added: "Whenever he played against us for Arsenal, he used to frighten the life out of me. But he's liked a lot of what we have done so far this summer.

"We are doing good business. Scott Parker wants to get back into the national side and, for all sorts of reasons, it is time for Craig Bellamy to do his talking on the pitch. He is an exceptional player.

"But in the last three seasons the young players we have at the club have been through it from a play-off triumph, FA Cup final and relegation.

"A lot of them have grown up in the last few seasons. Now with Freddie coming in, it gives us the experience we need."

Ljungberg missed much of last season with ankle, groin and hamstring injuries but he is confident they are behind him after a summer of rehabilitation.

But most of all, he admits it was hard to leave the Gunners after almost 10 years - citing the recent departure of Thierry Henry to Barcelona as one of the factors in his decision to move on.

After scoring 72 goals in 325 games for Arsenal, he was the last remaining member of the side which went unbeaten for an entire Barclays Premiership season.