Kasper Paananen

Kasper Paananen
Personal information
Full name Kasper Vili Valtteri Paananen
Date of birth (2003-03-16) 16 March 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Oulu, Finland
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 SJK
Number 31
Youth career
–2016 ORPa[1]
2017 OTP
2018–2019 OLS
2019–2023 Bologna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023 Honka 0 (0)
2023 SJK II 26 (8)
2023– SJK 29 (8)
International career‡
2018–2019 Finland U16 9 (7)
2019 Finland U17 6 (1)
2021 Finland U19 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 31 October 2023

Kasper Vili Valtteri Paananen (born 16 March 2003) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Veikkausliiga club SJK.

Career

Paananen was born in Oulu and played for ORPa, OTP and OLS in his youth years, before he moved to Italy in 2019 and signed with Bologna.[2] Paananen spent four years in Italy,[3][4] played 61 matches, and scored 20 goals in total for the youth academy teams of Bologna, before returning to Finland in 2023.

He spent time with Honka and played one match for the club in Finnish League Cup, before signing with SJK Seinäjoki.[5][6] He was first registered to the club's academy squad SJK Akatemia, playing in the second tier Ykkönen. For the next 2024 Veikkausliiga season, Paananen was promoted to the first team.

Personal life

His younger brother Julius Paananen is also a professional football player for AC Oulu.[7] The former professional ice hockey player Jari Viuhkola is his maternal uncle.

Career statistics

As of 2 November 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Honka 2023 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
SJK Akatemia 2023 Ykkönen 26 8 – – – 26 8
SJK 2023 Veikkausliiga 1 0 1 0 0 0 – 2 0
2024 Veikkausliiga 28 8 6 3 4 1 – 38 12
Total 29 8 7 3 4 1 0 0 40 12
Career total 55 16 7 3 5 1 0 0 67 20
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Includes Finnish League Cup

References

  1. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto
  2. ^ 16-vuotias futislahjakkuus Kasper Paananen siirtyy Italian pääsarjaseuraan, Ilta-Sanomat, Janne Oivio, 19 August 2019
  3. ^ Futislupaus Kasper Paananen, 17, oli jäädä loukkuun liki Italian koronapesäkettä – passi oli Suomessa: ”Kieltämättä aika hermostunut”, Ilta-Sanomat, Tatu Myllykoski, 23 March 2020
  4. ^ Bolognesea Kasper Paanasen tapaan - 17-vuotiaalla hyökkääjälupauksella takanaan ensimmäinen vuosi Bolognan akatemiassa, Lapin Kansa, Kai Nevala, 26 May 2020
  5. ^ Kasper Paananen Kerhon riveihin, SJK, 17 March 2023
  6. ^ Suomalainen huippulupaus testille Ruotsin suurseuraan – viettänyt viime vuodet Italiassa, suomifutis.com, Ville Liimatta, 16 January 2023
  7. ^ Suomalainen jalkapallolupaus lähellä ammattilaissopimusta: "Olen saanut treenata sellaisten äijien kanssa, joilla olen pelannut itse Fifaa pleikkarilla", Yle, 10 May 2020