A recent surge of Swedish players have flocked to the WSL and Arsenal are the latest recipients.
The nation’s quality shone through in the European Championship quarter-final against England when London City Lionesses attacker Kosovare Asllani scored inside two minutes before Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius gave the defending champions a steep hill to climb.
A herculean effort from both sides culminated in a disappointing penalty shootout, with the Lionesses edging the Swedes to advance to the last four.
Arsenal’s first recruit of the January window, Smilla Holmberg, featured as a substitute at right-back in that quarter-final in Switzerland.
She was the youngest player in the Sweden senior squad last summer at 18 years old before her birthday in October, and signed for Arsenal with 96 appearances for Swedish top-flight side Hammarby, already getting a taste of silverware.
Slegers said in her press conference, previewing Saturday afternoon’s Manchester United game at the Emirates: "Smilla has played different roles for Hammarby in her right-back position but can do different things, so she has versatility, and that's what she's going to bring to us as well.
"You see her play, you watch videos, you get to know her, but you never know exactly until the player comes into the environment. It’s been so good so far and she’s very humble, a hard worker, wants to take in and observe.
"But, at the same time, she’s also showing who she is, and she presents herself in a way that really fits with the team and on the training pitch."
Entering a completely new environment requires an integration process which spans the responsibilities of several parts of the club.
Her new head coach highlighted striking the right balance between transmitting the club’s style and allowing Holmberg to embrace her individual qualities.
"I think the team has been brilliant with Smilla this week. We say that we have processes in place on all levels, from the club level, to make sure that the player, especially coming from another country, gets all the help that they need to settle into a new country.
"I think from a coaches and analysts perspective and wider staff perspective, we make sure that they get across everything, the way we work, the methodology, the game model, the role in that position.
"But then there's also player-to-player ongoing integration. We like our process to go as quickly as possible because we're a team and everyone needs to be in a place where you feel good to perform."
Her positional peer and Sweden colleague Hanna Lundkvist also made the switch to England early in the transfer window to join Saturday’s opponents, Manchester United.
Also fed through the system at Hammarby, Lundkvist joins three high-calibre compatriots on the United books for the second half of the season, who are by no means near the fringes of Marc Skinner’s squad.
In the Arsenal camp, Holmberg has a familiar face in the dressing room in the form of Stina Blackstenius.
Slegers played in the country and was even appointed the Under-23s national team head coach in 2021.
Despite growing up in the Netherlands, Slegers has a soft spot for Sweden and clearly admires how they manage to develop a constant cycle of players who are capable of competing in the WSL.
"I've played there and I’ve worked there, and I’ve always loved living and playing and coaching in Sweden. I love the country, I think there's a special mindset with the people, and I think everything starts with really hard work and being really respectful around life, around your football.
"A big compliment to the federation and the league, to be able to stay at such a high level whilst leagues in other countries are growing very fast, and there's a lot of investment.
"I think Sweden's kept their identity. I did my licences in Sweden, I think the technical side of the game is on a really high level as well."