Freddie Ljungberg on Middle East football, Arsenal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Freddie Ljungberg made a flying visit to Arsenal's Dubai Soccer School from his London home this past week, and believes it won't be long before we see more Middle Eastern players making the return trip.

Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi is the region's sole representative, plying his trade with Championship side Wigan Athletic, but Ljungberg, who spent nine years with the Gunners, is confident that could soon change.

Al Ain and UAE playmaker Omar Abdulrahman is one of those tipped to make his mark on the European stage before too long with Arsenal among the clubs monitoring the 22-year-old.

The club failed in an attempt to take the playmaker to the Emirates Stadium on trial last summer, and while Ljungberg admits he hasn't seen the youngster play, he says he has heard "many good things".

After running the rule over Arsenal's young guns in Dubai, Ljungberg is convinced the future is bright for football in the region as a whole.

The Swede won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his time in North London and was a key member of the 'Invincibles' side that went 49 Premier League games unbeaten between 2003 and 2004.

Since their FA Cup win in 2005 and Ljungberg's departure two years later, the Gunners have endured a miserable time on the field, failing to add any silverware to their trophy cabinet.

Ljungberg claims extenuating circumstances are to blame for their nine year trophy drought and NOT boss Arsene Wenger, who he says is "definitely" the right man to lead the club for the foreseeable future.

However, he acknowledges that there is one key ingredient missing from Arsenal's make-up that Wenger must address this summer.

Ljungberg has also sympathised with David Moyes following his sacking at Manchester United after less than 12 months into the a six-year deal he signed last May.

Moyes mustered just 27 wins from his 51 games in charge at Old Trafford, presiding over the club's worst campaign in Premier League history, but Ljungberg insists it wasn't all of the Scot's doing.

Meanwhile, the 37-year-old also offered Yahoo Maktoob Sports his view on former international team-mate of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the game's self-proclaimed 'greatest player'.