Johnsen calls it quits
Former Manchester United defender Ronny Johnsen has announced his retirement.
Former Manchester United defender Ronny Johnsen has announced his retirement from football.The 35-year-old has spent the past month deciding whether to carry on playing, following his release by Newcastle United in January.
Johnsen signed for The Magpies on a short-term deal in September after he was offloaded by Aston Villa last summer.
He had joined Villa in 2002 after six years with The Red Devils, for whom he played in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final success over Bayern Munich.
The centre half had been wanted by Valerenga in his homeland but Johnsen has now decided to return to Norway with his career behind him.
"My partner wants to return home and that means I will not go abroad again as a footballer," Johnsen told Tonsbergs Blad.
"I will stay at home and that implies that my career will be over. I have had tremendous experiences.
"What was biggest I can't answer but the best years at Manchester United are hard to overlook."
Johnsen's retirement is a disappointment to Valerenga, who wanted the ex-Norway international to replace Erik Hagen.
Hagen is due to move to Russia but, with Johnsen's decision to quit, the Valerenga hierarchy will now have to switch targets.
Club director Kjetil Siem told Nettavisen: "We are not stressed in our hunt for a new stopper, we have still got two months."
