Eetu Vertainen

Eetu Vertainen (born 11 May 1999) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Super League Greece 2 club Athens Kallithea, on loan from Triestina.

Eetu Vertainen
Vertainen with HJK in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-05-11) 11 May 1999
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Athens Kallithea
(on loan from Triestina)
Number 33
Youth career
KyIF
HJK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2020 Klubi 04 41 (13)
2017–2020 HJK 57 (8)
2021 Ilves 11 (4)
2021–2023 St Johnstone 7 (0)
2022 → Linfield (loan) 10 (4)
2022–2023 → Linfield (loan) 30 (17)
2023– Triestina 0 (0)
2023– → Athens Kallithea (loan) 0 (0)
International career
Finland U19
Finland U21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:42, 29 April 2023 (UTC)

Career

Vertainen began his youth career with KyIF, before joining the academy of HJK at the age of 11.[2][3] He started his senior career with Klubi 04, before playing for HJK and Ilves in the Veikkausliiga.[4]

Vertainen signed a two-year contract with Scottish club St Johnstone on 1 September 2021.[5][6]

He moved on loan to NIFL Premiership club Linfield on 7 February 2022.[7] On 19 March, he scored four goals in a 5–0 league win over Dungannon Swifts.[8][9]

On 30 June, his loan deal with the Northern Irish team was extended.[10][11] Following his performances, he was named the league's Player of the Month and won the Goal of the Month award for December 2022.[12] In January 2023, he scored hat-tricks in successive league matches.[13][14] Later in the same season, he was the subject of speculation about a permanent transfer to Linfield,[15] as well as links to Welsh club The New Saints.[16]

On 1 September 2023, Vertainen joined Serie C club Triestina on a permanent deal.[17][18] Since Triestina were unable to register him on time,[19] on 11 September he was loaned to Greek club Athens Kallithea until the end of the year, with an option to extend the deal for the rest of the 2023–24 season.[19][20]

References
  1. "Profile" (in Finnish). Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  2. "KRISTALLINKIRKAS TAVOITE" (in Finnish). Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  3. "Eetu Vertaiselle jatkosopimus". Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi (in Finnish). 10 November 2020.
  4. Eetu Vertainen at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. "Eetu Vertainen Signs 2 Year Deal". St Johnstone Football Club. 1 September 2021.
  6. Gallagher, Matthew (1 September 2021). "Finnish striker Eetu Vertainen has "loads of potential", says Callum Davidson". Daily Record.
  7. "St Johnstone loan Eetu Vertainen to Linfield". FourFourTwo. 7 February 2022.
  8. "Four-goal Vertainen can still improve – Healy". BBC Sport. 19 March 2022.
  9. "Irish League Round-Up: Eetu Vertainen to the four as Linfield stay top with Cliftonville keeping in touch after win at Glenavon". Belfast Telegraph. 19 March 2022.
  10. "Eetu Vertainen moves to Linfield on loan". St Johnstone Football Club. 30 June 2022.
  11. Fullerton, Gareth (30 June 2022). "Linfield announce the return of striker Eetu Vertainen". BelfastLive.
  12. "Eetu Vertainen: Player and goal of the month award for St Johnstone loan striker". Daily Record. 6 January 2023.
  13. "Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew hails hat-trick hero Eetu Vertainen as Blues boost title hopes in style with victory over Ballymena United". Belfast Telegraph. 21 January 2023.
  14. "Linfield must improve record against title rivals, admits Ross Oliver after striker Eetu Vertainen's second consecutive hat-trick helps Blues rout Portadown". Belfast Telegraph. 28 January 2023.
  15. "Finnish striker Eetu Vertainen ponders permanent Linfield switch". Belfast Telegraph. 7 February 2023.
  16. Nicolson, Eric (2 February 2023). "Eetu Vertainen: Welsh champions TNS battling Linfield to sign St Johnstone striker in summer". The Courier.
  17. "Eetu Vertainen firma con la Triestina". US Triestina Calcio. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. "MTV Urheilun tiedot: Suomalaistykki teki sopimuksen Italiaan". MTV Uutiset (in Finnish). 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  19. Ikola, Ertu (11 September 2023). "Yllättävä käänne, Italiaan siirtynyt suomalaishyökkääjä joutui heti vaihtamaan maisemaa". MTV Uutiset (in Finnish). MTV Finland. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  20. "Eetu Vertainen joins Athens Kallithea FC". Athens Kallithea FC. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.


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