Stacy Steponate Greenberg brings over 15 years of travel and… Shining a spotlight on celebrities and athletes that love to travel Imagine starting your career as a professional squash player and making it all the way to the US Open in New York Then imagine you wind up teaching the game to one of the legendary restauranteurs in the city only to have him in turn teach you the tricks of his trade and eventually you open your own list of restaurants including the iconic go-to spot Le Colonial in 1993  If you are Swedish born Rick Wahlstedt you don’t have to imagine any of it because you lived it and to this day Le Colonial remains one of the most popular spots to see and be seen Now boasting 9 Le Colonial restaurants all over the country Wahlstedt has never wavered in his love for the business or the game The Overhead Compartment was excited to meet with the highly talented Wahlstedt and learn about his latest Le Colonial restaurant opening and of course split some of the best Goi Cuon The Overhead Compartment with Rick Wahlstedt stars now… OC: Le Colonial which opened in New York City in 1993 quickly established itself as the go-to place. Not long after, Le Colonial Chicago opened How do you keep the restaurants consistent with one another while also making each one unique RW: While every restaurant is uniquely attuned to its community the fundamental essence of the brand remains universally consistent We design each restaurant based on the environment we enter to have each restaurant have its own feel Le Colonial is not a box where you can do the same thing everywhere whether to incorporate private event space or not into the program or how much exterior space versus interior You cannot build a restaurant like Le Colonial with a discerning clientele who have traveled the world on auto pilot consistency is one of the most important features of a fine dining restaurant The training program must be excellent BEFORE the restaurant opens and let the restaurant “break-in” for no less than 60 days so strong senior management that sets the tone and professionalism for the rest is one of the most important factor whether you have a consistent restaurant or not RW: The menu is tailored to cater to the specific preferences of each local market our menu prominently features Southern Florida Gulf Coast seafood we prioritize collaborating with local farms for fresh produce and poultry we offer various options such as the Saigon Social Hour We operate as a local restaurant in every market consists of our signature dishes that form the foundation of our Vietnamese Cuisine OC: You are celebrating an important milestone this Fall — the anniversary of the first Le Colonial— what does this mean to you and the brand RW: Any fine dining brand that has been serving clients in different markets for 30 years is special What’s even more impressive is that Le Colonial finds itself at the center of the most rapid expansion it has experienced since we first opened our doors three decades ago The brand is probably better today than it has even been in regard to consistency Our operating team has done a remarkable job and our creative team keeps on pushing the brand forward Le Colonial is just starting to hit on all cylinders…. I am very proud of the accomplishments thus far during 30 years and my hope is that the brand will be better and stronger than ever for its 50 year anniversary OC: You have restaurants in many different markets—-what are the most important factors you consider when choosing locations RW: Today you can open a great restaurant in almost any market in the US and do the same sales volume as the major US cities we prefer to open new restaurants in secondary markets where we are a real addition to the local communities and the surrounding area Orange County are all markets that I think would welcome a restaurant like Le Colonial Milan are more interesting to me than Paris Many of our clients have second homes or vacations in some of our markets so we have sort of a built-in clientele already Being in Chicago for 26 years and Buckhead we have clients there who spend part of their time in Naples Florida where we will open on Fifth Avenue in November this year Other important factors that play a role are prominent retail stores neighbors Class A office tenants and residential neighborhoods RW: It goes in spurts and depends on the season but generally I visit a new market where we are opening very frequently during the design and construction phase as well as the first 3 months of operation I visit the restaurants for 3 to 4 days per quarter OC: You started off working for legendary restauranteur Keith McNally learning the tricks of the trade What’s the most important thing you learned from the man who was dubbed “The Restauranteur Who Invented Downtown” RW: I learned a lot from both Keith and his brother Brian through my early days in my career Attention to details during service such as lighting The importance to the front door and the first reception to greet the client as well as the social aspect of the dining room and bar are some of the things I learned early on the importance to the design so the client feels that they are in a different place or time through the vibe and architectural details OC: What advice would you give to someone interested in breaking into the restaurant business OC: You are a top squash player and still compete what have you learned from the sport that helps make you successful in other areas of your life RW: The American palate is expanding; it has grown increasingly receptive to diverse flavors and niche influences This openness has paved the way for a captivating variety of culinary traditions to flourish across the nation The intersection of curiosity and authenticity has increased allowing restaurants to celebrate authentic cultural heritage in their cuisines I anticipate a rising interest in exploring lesser-known regional cuisines allowing diners to embark on authentic culinary journeys This trend aligns with our focus on French-Vietnamese cuisine presenting an exciting opportunity to infuse elements from other near-by cultures further enriching the tapestry of flavors we offer This is something we are working on in our menus – adding elements from countries neighboring Vietnam I believe the younger generation are much more interested in their well-being and aware of what they are putting in their bodies than what I was growing up and sometimes still is OC: First thing you do when arriving at a hotel in your room RW: Check out the bathroom and view from windows OC: Complete the following sentence:  I never leave home without: please use care upon departure as items may have shifted in The Overhead Compartment during our journey Thanks for choosing us for your travel tips © 2025 Pursuitist. All Rights Reserved. Unless noted, some photos may belong to their respective owners and are used under the principle of fair use, according to Section 107 The Academy for Sciences and Agriculture in Vadnais Heights will pay $325,000 to a student who was sexually harassed and assaulted by a teacher when she was in ninth grade A news release from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights said the district was “aware of the teacher’s inappropriate interactions and failed to prevent him from ultimately sexually harassing and assaulting the student.” Court records show Michael Bradley Wahlstedt pleaded guilty to and was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual assault in 2020 He was sentenced to six months in jail and must serve 15 years of probation as well as a stayed sentence of three years in prison if he violates that probation Schools are legally required to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault under the Minnesota Human Rights Act According to an investigation from the MDHR the harassment and assault happened in 2019 and staff were aware but failed to intervene The agency states the principal “failed to launch an investigation” and also did not speak to the student and her parents or discipline the teacher Although the principal did tell the teacher to stay away from the student reports from law enforcement and MDHR show Wahlstedt didn’t stay away and sexually assaulted her The school shared this statement in response to the settlement: The Academy for Sciences & Agriculture has and will continue to follow all laws applying to it AFSA disagrees with the characterization of the investigation the accusations of wrongdoing and conclusions drawn by the MDHR The School takes all complaints of harassment or discrimination seriously including investigating any allegations of wrongdoing and taking appropriate discipline AFSA makes its top priority to create an educational environment that is safe and supportive for everyone 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked what characterization of the investigation AFSA disagrees with A criminal complaint shows police spoke to the 15-year-old victim in July 2019 and she told them she had been in a romantic relationship with one of her teachers Court documents state that Wahlstedt would pick her up in his personal vehicle and that the two had sexual relations at his home The age difference between Wahlstedt and the victim is about nine years Police later learned that school administrators warned Wahlstedt about his interactions with the student in March 2019 after noticing him speaking to her “for long periods of time at lunch” and ignoring his supervisory duties The complaint states that Wahlstedt was told by school officials he “needed to set appropriate boundaries” such as never being alone with her and keeping the door open when they needed to interact for class The complaint cites another time when Wahlstedt spent a “lot of time” with two couples at the prom in April 2019 He was then reminded of the earlier warning and was told that “the students needed to have their prom and teachers should be in the background.” The settlement comes after the MDHR determined that the school violated the state’s civil rights law when it failed to prevent and address the harassment and assault the school is required to do the following: Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero shared the following statement: “I am deeply grateful for the courage and strength of this student to bring forward her story of the sexual violence she faced at the hands of her teacher we are reminded that we are surrounded by survivors of sexual assault To truly honor the courage of this student schools must do everything possible to prevent sexual harassment and assault from occurring This is not only the right thing to do but it’s also required under the law.” The student who survived the assault also shared this statement: are told our whole lives that school staff are the people we’re supposed to go to when we feel unsafe I didn’t know that I was in a vulnerable position I wouldn’t wish what happened to me to happen to anyone else It is not the victim’s responsibility to make the change but if the change involves protecting yourself it is absolutely worth demanding something be done Don’t let anyone intimidate you into thinking the harm that was done was not real.” Anyone who has been discriminated against can fill out a form online or call the discrimination hotline at 1-833-454-0148 Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 Playing Squash by day eventually led him to nighttime bartending and so began a 30-year love affair with the restaurant industry Rick learned the ropes at some of New York’s most famous and enduring hot spots including Indochine and Odeon His first foray into ownership came in 1987 when he opened Punsch a French Scandinavian restaurant on the upper west side of Manhattan With such a rich past working for the McNally brothers he brought to his restaurant gold standard secrets of the trade Punsch became wildly successful before closing three years later.  But that was just the beginning Read Also: Recipe | Grouper “Oscar” Recipe from Resort’s New Menu – F & B After Punsch, Rick chose to return to his educational roots and joined Jonathan& Foster, a corresponding firm of Bear Sterns as a security broker focused on emerging markets. But during his ten-year stint in finance, the industry called to him and in 1993, he opened Le Colonial, the French-Vietnamese sensation on East 57th street. That success would be duplicated many times over in the years to come. Currently, Rick owns the following restaurants: Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter and receive important industry updates. Food & Beverage Magazine is the leading online magazine resource for the food and beverage industry with signature celebrity features and an over twenty year long valuable reputation. F&B Magazine has the eyes of the industry’s top professionals that are in search of the latest and greatest. Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter and recieve important industry updates. The owners broadened their approach and employees responded positively to the commitment to inclusivity. In 1960, an ambitious 3M engineer with a habit of taking on too much, Bob Wahlstedt, landed in the hospital with bleeding ulcers. He returned to a lighter workload and new wariness about the costs of climbing the corporate ladder. A few years later, Wahlstedt chose to join another 3M alum in a manufacturers-representative business. By 1970, their firm had evolved into a small manufacturer of hinges and electric clutches called Reell Precision Manufacturing. Wahlstedt, who is 87, still walks around the factory floor, greeting workers who are now the owners of Reell Precision. "I haven't had any more ulcers," he says. There were days 20-plus years ago, before he retired as chief executive, when Wahlstedt would join a production line that was lagging. And the recession in 2008 and 2009 brought the company close to failure. But its CEO since then, Kyle Smith, found a new banker, made painful cuts, rallied demoralized troops and led Reell to a decade of strong profitability and growth. Wahlstedt and Lee Johnson, 86, two of the three surviving founders, can take heart in a healthy 175-employee outfit that makes products used globally. The firm transitioned successfully to an employee stock ownership plan that awards longtime employees with a six-figure share of the profits they helped it earn. And the independently appraised value of the ESOP has risen 400% over the last decade. "The stock has done well since 2009. But the fundamental measure of success is how well our people and 'stakeholders' have done over time. Pretty well," Wahlstedt said. Smith, 58, signed on as CEO in 2009 and struggled at first. There were dozens of layoffs, management pay cuts, suspended board fees and dividends and uncertainty over whether he had the support of the founders who were still the majority shareholders at the time. He made the hard decision to end production of the company's revenue-driving but unprofitable laptop-hinge product. Smith worked long hours, walked the factory floor every day, answering questions about the future as best he could. In place of laptop hinges, Reell Precision began to focus on building profitable products for the auto and medical industries. Reell's profitable revenue growth plan had traction by 2011. Smith lured back Shari Erdman, 48, a veteran human resources officer, from another job after six months in 2009. She was a key bridge to Reell's cultural past of worker engagement and empowerment. Smith and the other executive cut their pay to afford her first-year compensation. "We have 175 employees today instead of 200 before the cuts in 2009," Smith said. "But we are better diversified with more profitable products. We have more automation. We kept the best jobs here. We're growing." On finances, Smith would only say that Reell's profitable revenue will break through $50 million "in coming years." "We make world-class stuff," Smith said. "And we are a small company. Our employee-owners care." Wahlstedt wrote a candid book in 2017 that detailed the aspiration, trials and recent success at Reell. The book "Where Two or Three are Gathered," is subtitled "Why Humility is Good for Business." He described how the co-founders, who were committed Christians, by the 1980s became aware that some employees were uncomfortable with what seemed an overtly Christian culture. The owners broadened their approach and employees responded positively to the commitment to inclusivity. Moreover, the co-founders' long-standing commitment to donate 10% of profit to charity is popular, Erdman said. For example, Reell built and supports a grade school in partnership with nonprofit World Servants in a low-income community in the Dominican Republic. Employees have seen how the school's graduates have improved their community. Reell's employee-satisfaction survey score is three times that of most manufacturers. Employees work hard, have a voice and share in the profits of a successful niche manufacturer with a proven plan. Neal St. Anthony has been a Star Tribune business columnist and reporter since 1984. He can be contacted at nstanthony@startribune.com. Neal St. Anthony has been a Star Tribune business columnist/reporter since 1984.  Health Care The payment is part of a proposed settlement to litigation dating back more than a decade about alleged economic harms suffered by health care providers Renowned investor Warren Buffett surprised a crowd of thousands Saturday with his plans to retire at the end of the year The company is behind Twin Cities-based businesses like DQ and HomeServices of America A judge is expected to approve an arrangement for Division I colleges to give 22% of athletic department revenue to student-athletes U.S. Trotting News NJ — Rick Wahlstedt owns fine-dining restaurants across the U.S. so his ownership of racehorses provides a welcome distraction from the demands of his everyday business life Even if it’s not always a relaxing distraction “I’m more nervous at a horse race than I am opening a restaurant,” Wahlstedt said with a laugh I enjoy speaking to my partners about it in the racing business I guess you could say it’s a bit of a therapy from the restaurant world.” Wahlstedt began following harness racing as a child “My dad used to take me as a little boy to our small country track,” Wahlstedt said Wahlstedt was playing squash professionally and visited New York for the U.S after which he was offered a job in Dallas as a teaching pro “I moved back to New York after about a year and continued playing the (squash) tour Squash sort of brought me into the restaurant business He was a client of mine and he gave me my first job in the restaurant industry I could work at the restaurants late at night and make some money and during the day I was practicing and training for the tournaments on the weekends I took a liking to it and started to open my own restaurants in the late 1980s They’re all fine-dining restaurants of different types.” Wahlstedt’s involvement in harness racing lapsed but he returned to the sport a decade ago when he partnered with a cousin to start a stable in Sweden bought filly trotter Bay View at the Lexington Selected Sale and asked Wahlstedt if he wanted to join the ownership group who was in his second year as a trainer in the U.S. and launched Wahlstedt’s involvement in the States “Marcus has done great,” Wahlstedt said. “He’s a talented young man, and a modest young man. When I started with him, he had just started with the farm. He’s done very well. The proof is in the pudding with horses like In Range.” In Range is a son of Bar Hopping out of Ilia. He was purchased for $185,000 at last November’s Standardbred Horse Sale and his family includes Grand Circuit stakes winner Long Tom All his races this season have been Pennsylvania state-bred stakes he is eligible to the International Stallion and Breeders Crown in addition to Friday’s Bluegrass Stakes “In Range is not that focused before a race he certainly knows where the finish line is and he certainly likes to pass horses,” Wahlstedt said “A horse that knows where the finish line is and wants to be the first over the finish line is something special I’m not sure we’ve seen everything he can do I think he can do better than what we’ve seen so far.” In addition to following his horses and running his restaurants As for his hectic schedule and love of racing I mean it breaks even or makes a little bit of money that’s a big win and it brings a lot of pleasure and excitement “I’m really enjoying the racing in America I was taking my kids out to see them train There is something very special about that Once you start to think you’re going to make money with it or you are going to get upset because you are losing money Racing begins at 1 p.m. (EDT) at Red Mile. For Friday’s complete entries, click here What is the USTA? Become a Member Renew Discounts Free Account Member Services Department Directory MyAccount Hoof Beats Magazine Restaurateur Rick Wahlstedt has had a 30-year love affair with the restaurant industry as his holdings have grown to include: each of his restaurants make $6.5 million annually Wahlstedt discusses the economics challenges facing fine dining restaurants today as well as what he views as the four main elements for fine dining success Want more than five articles a month? Sign-up for a free account. If you're curious as to what we do with your information, please check out our Privacy Policy & Options page Modern Restaurant Management would like to store your above information when you create an account We will not share this information with third parties and you can delete your information from our system at any time A 20-year-old Huntley man remained in jail Thursday on allegations he had sex with a young teenage girl he knows was charged July 31 following an investigation prompted by a phone call from the Huntley girl’s parents “It looks like it was an acquaintance,” Klunk said but it does not look like a person of trust.” Wahlstedt had sex with the girl July 28 and her parents phoned police just after midnight the following day Police questioned Wahlstedt July 31 and arrested him at the station at the conclusion of the interview Wahlstedt was charged with one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for being at least five years older than the teenager He needs to pay $6,000 to be released from McHenry County jail before his next court date Wahlstedt was convicted of theft in January in Huntley and sentenced to 18 months of probation restitution and credit for time served in jail The court moved to revoke Wahlstedt’s probation after he was charged in a Huntley domestic battery case in June Aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a Class 2 felony Home / Buckhead Stories / Owners of Le Bilboquet and Umi To Open Le Colonial at The Shops Buckhead Ownership groups led by Rick Wahlstedt of Le Bilboquet and Farshid Arshid of Umi have teamed up to bring elegant Vietnamese cuisine to The Shops Buckhead Le Colonial is one of the most sophisticated and respected Vietnamese restaurants in the country Inspired by the tropical vistas and French colonial design of Saigon the restaurant will provide Southeast Asian dishes accented by French haute culture “I couldn’t be happier to introduce this very special and dramatic concept to Atlantans,” said Wahlstedt in a press release “Our menu will be about light and subtle fare which we believe is just what Southerners want tropical environment.” It was three years ago when Le Bilboquet was first being built that Wahlstedt met Arshid and the two quickly came to appreciate one another’s drive for excellence in cuisine and the diner experience felt that collaborating with Wahlstedt on Le Colonial was “a no brainer.” “The Asian elements of the menu are totally aligned with our direction at Umi and in the Atlanta culinary scene,” explained Arshid This newest Buckhead location is set to be the most modern interpretation of the Le Colonial concept in contrast to those in other cities that have been a mainstay for more than 20 years Visitors can expect Le Colonial specialties such as Bo Luc Lac Shaking Beef served with farm greens and caramelized filet mignon Ca Chien Saigon with crispy wild-caught red snapper Le Colonial will boost global recognition of Buckhead’s upscale restaurant scene and with culinary masters such as award-winning Vietnamese cookbook author Nicole Routhier and Executive Chef Hassan Obaye it is sure to be a success at The Shops Buckhead Click here or on any of the homes below to see the best homes for sale and coming soon to the market in Buckhead. Featured properties are brought you by Buckhead’s top real estate broker, Ben Hirsh. The spirit of Buckhead heads forward. This is the way it has been, and perhaps this is the way it will always be. The spirit of Buckhead points forward. You see it in the way we work, and you see it in the way we play. The reach is always extending further. The search is for excellence and beauty and grace and vibrancy. We are a community of individuals. We are diverse, we are dynamic, and we are discerning. We are builders. We are connected to one another with a common bond. A common dream. A common quest. Pointing life in one direction. Forward. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 58 1/4 x 49 5/8 inches (all images courtesy Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art) Read more here. Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art is honored to present an exhibition of selected prints by Frank Stella from his Moby Dick Series The seven prints being exhibited stem rom the Moby Dick engravings deckled edges as well as the stand alone "Candles" which refers to chapter 119 of Herman Melville's Moby Dick The dominant motif of the Moby Dick engravings is the wave-and-whale shape It pays and rashes about in a sea of motifs from earlier metal relief and print series The mixed-media intaglio prints of the Moby Dick engravings are solemn in their black and white tonalities enlivened with subtle washes of color Stella conveys a dramatic sense of roiling waters and breaching whales The expressive gravity of this series is caught up in the title "Jonah Historically Regarded," a reference to chapter 83 of the novel who deserts God and is thrown overboard during a storm at sea and swallowed by a whale is a central metaphor in Melville's grand narrative The print "The Candles" refers to the fiery balls of lighting that illuminate the mast tops of Captain Ahab's whaling ship A sense of this dramatic phenomenon is caught in the radiant reds and oranges of Stella's "The Candles," a lithograph with screen printed and collaged elements The Moby Dick mixed-media deckled edges prints on a view stand in dramatic contrast to the more open compositions and elegiac tone of the Moby Dick engravings Stella began with a series of working collages from which the prints would proceed The collages were built up with a variety of cutout printed material including snippets of earlier proofs Also added into the mix were patterns of enlarged color halftone dots and plastic construction grids Stella ha plates produced from the collages ran proofs and used the proofs as further imagery to manipulate into final compositions Stella gives importance to white unprinted paper and to the tradition of the deckled edge He has been the subject of two retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art Mr Stella had his print retrospective in 1982 which traveled to fifteen American museums over a four-year span He had a major retrospective of his work at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2015 the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art held a print retrospective for the artist A revised catalogue raisonne was published in conjunction with that exhibition which traveled to several other American museums Currently on view at the Princeton University Art Museum is Frank Stella Unbound; Literature and Printmaking The exhibition will then travel to Museum of Contemporary Art Stella's work features prominently in the collections of major museums cultural institutions and private collections worldwide Every team taking part in the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship is striving for greatness and aiming for the coveted trophy which will be awarded at the end of the final The fans will flock to the arena and the atmosphere will surely be fiery but any top competition is not whole without a proper anthem which can pump up the atmosphere and can deliver the dramatic moments which fans crave for Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023 will be no different as the anthem of the competition encompasses all the needed ingredients to create a proper experience for the fans has created the anthem – “Aiming for Number One” As the 26th IHF Women’s World Championship has a certain unique selling point – with the “Aim to Excite” motto – the anthem could not be different from this stance and excitement of a handball game are there to be felt which should get the fans in the mood to cheer for their favourite team which will surely link up perfectly with the pace of the matches and the emotion produced only by the IHF Women’s World Championship “Wahlstedt’s connection to the world of sports is not new and his previous experiences have given him a unique understanding of what works in a sports arena He has his finger on the pulse of what it takes to create a true arena anthem and his musical style is perfect for producing a song that evokes the unique energy that defines major sports events,” says Peter Vikström Executive Event Producer of the 26th IHF Women’s World Championship By continuing to browse ihf.info, you agree to our terms of use , privacy policy and the use of cookies. For more information, please review our cookie policy. The 24-year-old Sweden international joins on a three-year deal from Odds Ballklubb in Norway’s top division, becoming Rovers’ fourth summer signing. Wahlstedt, who watched on from the Ewood stands as Rovers kicked off the new Championship campaign with a 2-1 win over West Brom at the weekend, started his career in his homeland, making his senior debut for Swedish side Dalkurd FF in August 2018, aged just 19. A move to Norwegian outfit Arendal followed, before the Swedish shot-stopper earned his big break with top-flight club Odds BK ahead of the 2021 campaign. Over the past three seasons, he has made 64 appearances for the club, keeping eight clean sheets in 17 games this season – the highest in the division. On the international stage, Wahlstedt received his first call-up to the Sweden squad in September 2022, before making his senior debut in a 2-0 win against Finland in January 2023. The towering and talented goalkeeper will wear the number 12 shirt with Rovers and will be available for selection once international clearance and visa requirements have been approved. Rovers’ Director of Football, Gregg Broughton, said: “We are delighted to welcome Leo to Blackburn Rovers. “We have monitored his progress over the past 12 months and, in addition to his excellent shot-stopping, Leo's ability to play out from the back is at a very high level. “Succession planning is a straightforward exercise in theory, but in real life is reliant upon timing factors that are often out of your control. “We are grateful that, following Thomas Kaminski’s departure, we were able to put our plan into place and sign a goalkeeper with such high potential.” To help you get to know Rovers’ new recruit a bit better, here are five fascinating facts about the 24-year-old goalkeeper… Signing a deal until the summer of 2026, Wahlstedt has arrived from Norwegian side Odd and brings with him international experience having featured for the Swedish national team at the beginning of this year. The highly-rated 24-year-old enjoyed two-and-a-half years at the Skagerak Arena, featuring regularly for the Eliteserien outfit. The next step of the stopper’s career takes him away from Scandinavia for the first time, with Wahlstedt becoming the third Nordic player to link up with the club this summer, following in the footsteps of Sondre Tronstad and Arnor Sigurdsson. He’s excited by the chance to make his mark in England and admits he’s ready to grab the opportunity with both hands at Ewood Park. “I’m so proud because I’ve watched English football back in Sweden ever since I was a young boy,” he beamed to RoversTV after penning a three-year deal. ‘My family and friends are proud and I can’t wait to get started here now. “English football is so popular in Sweden and in Norway, which is where I’ve recently been playing. I always dreamed of playing in England. “The atmospheres in stadiums and the interest in English football, it’s huge. The whole culture with English football and the Championship is a division that I think is a really, really good league. “It’s a tough league, there are lots of games and there is really good quality with the players in the division as well. “I was very impressed by the performance from the team on Saturday," he added, after watching Saturday\'s 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion from the Jack Walker Stand. "I thought we played a really good game against a tough side and the atmosphere at Ewood was really good.  “Rovers is a huge club with such a great history. I remember watching the club in the Premier League when I was young and it’s such a good feeling to be here. “I heard about the interest and had a really good chat with Gregg [Broughton] and the club. When I heard about the concrete interest, I felt this was something I really wanted to do." After a run in the side during the second half of last season Thomas Kaminski’s departure for Luton Town on the eve of the campaign opened the door for Pears to keep his place in the team and earn the coveted No With Wahlstedt arriving in the summer to provide competition the Swede was called upon earlier than expected in his Rovers career when Pears was forced off with a foot injury against Leicester City at the start of last month Scans revealed fractures to two of the stopper’s metatarsals Pears has disclosed that he’s spent that time out working on other aspects of his game in a bid to come back stronger and continue that battle for a place in goal “It was a one-on-one with [Jamie] Vardy and he stepped on my foot which got stuck in the ground,” the former Middlesbrough man recollected to RoversTV an impact injury where all my body weight went one way and my foot didn’t move Something’s got to give and two of them did “I’ve got two little breaks of my metatarsal I was in the boot for four weeks and it was a bit of a nightmare because I couldn’t drive “It’s been different to get my head around being injured and getting through it but I’m feeling good and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the pitch “It’s gutting because you come out of the team It’s about focusing on coming back as a better goalkeeper and being better physically which is what I’ve been trying to do but you keep yourself ticking over with your upper body strength conditioning work and goalkeeping sat down just to get stronger in my upper body and to come back a bit bigger," he explained “I think this will help me in the long run although I obviously wouldn’t want the injury to happen again but it’s got me into good habits and to keep hitting the gym hard when I am back fit “I think I’m going to come back much better and stronger It’s getting there but it might just take a little time “I’m looking forward to the next few weeks You have to deal with it and focus on coming back better than you were before I got injured.” Blackburn Rovers had hoped they had uncovered a shot-stopping gem and some new competition for Aynsley Pears in the form of Swedish prospect Wahlstedt He came in for a fee of around €1m in the summer of 2023 The 25-year-old had already been involved in the Sweden national team’s squad and looked primed and ready for a shot in the Championship after starting out behind Pears in the pecking order Wahlstedt struggled to impress when he came in 25 appearances yielded only four clean sheets and on the whole Pears reclaimed his starting spot swiftly when back from injury And, earlier this summer, it quickly became clear that Blackburn Rovers were willing to part ways with Wahlstedt. He made an early move back to Scandinavia with Danish side Aarhus GF, who paid around €1m to ensure the Championship club recouped the money from their failed buy it had been hoped Wahlstedt could find form and regular starts again Wahlstedt is still waiting on his senior debut for Aarhus with seven games of the Superliga season played The former Blackburn Rovers ‘keeper has remained an unused substitute in every match thus far He is currently behind 39-year-old veteran Jesper Hansen in the pecking order with the Danish club Wahlstedt’s only outing has come in the Future Cup with the Aarhus reserves He played all 90 minutes as his side were beaten 3-2 by Viborg FF’s second string side The Stockholm native is on a five-year deal with the club and as the current number two he’ll be hopeful of claiming that starting spot further down the line It will be hoped that date isn’t too far away with current incumbent Jensen and out of contract next summer Blackburn Rovers were in need of a new ‘keeper to cover for and compete with Pears in the wake of Wahlstedt’s sale and after numerous links Hungarian shot-stopper Balazs Toth is now on the books at Ewood Park He impressed in his native with Fehervar and will be hoping to usurp Pears as John Eustace’s go-to man in between the sticks Also on the books are Joe Hilton and Jack Barrett who are likely to remain third and fourth choice Barrett came in on a free transfer earlier in the summer following the end of his contract with Everton Hilton has made his way through the youth ranks but has found most of his senior opportunities in short-term non-league loans Blackburn Rovers would have hoped Wahlstedt could become their new starting shot-stopper upon his arrival from Odd BK last summer many would have backed him to develop and improve at Ewood Park As per reports in Denmark though a move to Aarhus GF has been pretty much agreed He’s poised to head out for £1m At least one shot-stopper is needed by Blackburn Rovers Okonkwo will be leaving Arsenal when his contract ends this summer and while the Championship would be a big jump up for him he looks like a real prospect for the future and could develop into a great asset On a free transfer, the recent Wrexham loan star could come in and battle Pears for the starting spot he’d only get cup chances as he settles into a higher level That could make other options more tempting for Okonkwo, but the chance to join Blackburn Rovers after leaving the Gunners would be one worth taking Another goalkeeper who will become a free agent at the end of this month is the more experienced Foderingham. There’s no hiding the 2023/24 season was a tough one for him behind that shocking Sheffield United backline It was only a year ago that he was celebrating promotion from the division If John Eustace would prefer a ‘keeper with more pedigree over another young player to replace Okonkwo, Blackburn Rovers should definitely consider pouncing on Foderingham Last but not least is a more left-field option but Frenchman Nardi could be a good one to consider His deal with KAA Gent is expiring soon and after a spell out with a broken leg, the 30-year-old is fit again and could turn his attention to a new challenge. That would be on offer with Blackburn Rovers with Nardi only ever playing in France or Belgium On a potential free transfer, Nardi is someone who could come in and battle Pears for the Blackburn Rovers starting berth and he wouldn’t cost a penny.