Wisconsin Soccer Central

What an incredible nine months it has been for Aaron Nichols (UW).

The 24-year-old started his professional career with the Chicago Soul in the Major Indoor Soccer League last fall. Then he was called to represent his country with the U.S. Futsal national team last month. Now he's joined a European club.

Nichols signed with Swedish second-division side Ljungskile SK on Friday, joining the team midway through the Superettan season. He grabbed the club's attention with his performance during a tour with Bridges FC, a Chicago-based program that sets up trips to Europe and helps players land pro contracts.

Ljungskile (6-8-1) is in eighth place in the 16-team Superettan with 15 matches remaining, and resumes league play July 29 against last-place IFK Värnamo. The versatile Nichols is expected to play on the outside, either on the backline or in midfield, according to comments from coach Tor Arne Fredheim in Swedish media reports.

Nichols played for the Badgers from 2007 to '10, recording three goals and four assists in 72 matches (59 starts) and played with the Madison 56ers in the National Premier Soccer League in 2011. After finishing up his degree at UW, he signed with the Soul and had three goals and three assists in 24 games for the MISL expansion team last winter.

In June, Nichols and the U.S. Futsal national team won all three of their matches to win the Four Nations Tournament in Newcastle, England.

Nichols is one of at least four players from the current Bridges FC team to land pro contracts this summer, as Paul Tracy also signed with Ljungskile and Seth Rudolph and Adam Kelemet joined Sandvikens IF in the Division 1 Norra – Rudolph is reuniting with Andrew Stadler (Wauwatosa West) at the third-division club, as both played at George Washington. Former 56ers center back Stacy Terry also is playing for Bridges FC, which had matches in Holland and Germany before heading to Sweden.