2025 HJK season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(until 4 May)
Miika Nuutinen (interim)
(from 4 May)
| 2025 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Olli-Pekka Lyytikäinen | |||
| Manager | Toni Korkeakunnas (until 4 May) Miika Nuutinen (interim) (from 4 May) | |||
| Stadium | Bolt Arena | |||
| Veikkausliiga | 5th | |||
| Finnish Cup | Champions | |||
| League Cup | Runners Up | |||
| UEFA Conference League | Second Qualifying Round vs Arda | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Teemu Pukki (14) Alexander Ring (14) All: Teemu Pukki (21) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 8,133 vs KuPS (31 May 2025) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 500 vs IF Gnistan (11 January 2025) 500 vs Haka (8 February 2025) 500 vs IFK Mariehamn (14 February 2025) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 6,223 (9 November 2025) | |||
|
| ||||
The 2025 season was Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi's 117th competitive season.[1] HJK entered the Veikkausliiga season as four-time defending champions.
On 9 January, HJK announced the signing of Liam Rippon from Sydney Olympic to a two-year contract with the option of an additional year.[2]
On 10 January, Otto Hannula extended his contract with HJK until the end of the 2026 season.[3]
On 15 January, Daniel O'Shaughnessy extended his contract with HJK until the end of the 2026 season.[4]
On 18 January, Santeri Hostikka extended his contract with HJK until the end of the 2025 season.[5]
On 21 January, Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan joined Košice on loan a deal until 30 June, with the option for the Slovak club to make the move permanent.[6]
On 24 January, HJK announced the return of Teemu Pukki to a two-year contract, for an undisclosed fee.[7]
On 5 February, HJK announced the return of Alexander Ring to a two-year contract, after he'd left Austin FC at the end of the previous year.[8]
On 15 February, Kai Meriluoto joined NK Maribor on loan a deal until 30 June, with the option for the Slovenian club to make the move permanent.[9]
On 27 February, Salem Bouajila joined SV Ried on loan a deal until 30 June, with the option for the Austrian club to make the move permanent.[10]
On 7 March, HJK announced the singing of Cheikh Sidibé to a two-year contract, with an option of an additional year, from Azam.[11]
On 28 March, HJK announced the singing of Benji Michel to a two-year contract.[12]
On 31 March, Eemil Toivonen extended his contract with HJK until the end of the 2026 season, and joined IFK Mariehamn on loan for the season.[13]
On 3 May, HJK announced that Ozan Kökçü's contract had been terminated at the request of the player.[14]
On 4 May, HJK announced that Toni Korkeakunnas had been sacked as Head Coach, with Miika Nuutinen being appointed as Interim Head Coach.[15]
On 19 June, HJK announced that Kaius Simojoki had signed a new contract with the club, for the 2026 season, with an option for the 2027 season.[16]
On 3 July, HJK announced that Hassane Bandé's contract had ended on 30 June and that he had left the club.[17]
On 23 July, HJK announced the signing of Vicente Besuijen on loan from Aberdeen until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent.[18]
On 8 August, HJK announced the signing of Mihailo Bogićević from Spartak Subotica on a contract until the end of the 2026 season, and that Kai Meriluoto and Thijmen Nijhuis had left the club to sign for IFK Värnamo and Waldhof Mannheim respectively.[19][20][21]
On 15 August, HJK announced the signing of Yukiyoshi Karashima on loan from RFS until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent.[22]
On 21 August, HJK announced the signing of Ricardo Friedrich on loan from Malmö FF until the end of the season.[23]
On 25 August, HJK announced that Cheikh Sidibé's contract had been terminated by mutual agreement.[24]
On 26 August, HJK announced the signing of Ardit Tahiri on loan from Llapi until the end of the season, with an option to make the mover permanent.[25]
On 27 August, HJK announced that Hadi Noori's contract had been terminated by mutual agreement.[26]
On 23 September, Salem Bouajila joined Göztepe on loan a deal until 30 June 2026, with the option for the Turkish club to make the move permanent.[27]
On 7 November, prior to their last game of the season, HJK announced that Elmo Henriksson, Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan and Georgios Kanellopoulos would all leave the club at the end of the season with their contracts not being renewed.[28][29][30]
On 14 November, HJK announced that they had signed a new contract with Antton Nylund, until the end of the 2028 season.[31]
On 19 November, HJK announced that Alex Ramula would be leaving the club at the end of the season to sign for PK-35.[32]
On 28 November, HKJ announced that Emil Leveälahti and Toivo Mero had signed a new contracts with the club until the end of the 2027 season, and that Alex Lietsa would be leaving the club at the end of his contract to sign for AC Oulu.[33][34][35]
On 30 November, HJK announced the appointment of Joonas Rantanen as their new Head Coach on a contract until the end of 2028.[36]
On 5 December, HJK announced that they had signed a new one-year contract with Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, with the option of an additional year.[37]
On 15 December, HJK announced that Kaius Hardén, Emil Ingman and Francis Etu would leave the club at the end of the season when their contracts expire.[38]
On 19 December, HJK announced that Georgios Antzoulas would leave the club at the end of the season when their contract expires.[39]
Squad
- As of match played 9 November 2025
| No. | Name | Nationality | Position | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Contract ends | Apps. | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jesse Öst |  |
GK | 20 October 1990 (aged 35) | SJK | 2023 | 2026[40] | 56 | 0 | |
| 16 | Elmo Henriksson | |
GK | 10 March 2003 (aged 22) | Klubi 04 | 2021 | 2025[41] | 13 | 0 | |
| 30 | Alex Ramula | |
GK | 17 January 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 32 | Ricardo Friedrich |  |
GK | 18 February 1993 (aged 32) | on loan from Malmö FF | 2025[23] | 2025[23] | 12 | 0 | |
| Defenders | ||||||||||
| 2 | Brooklyn Lyons-Foster |  |
DF | 1 December 2000 (aged 24) | Tottenham Hotspur | 2024[42] | 2026 (+1)[37] | 63 | 4 | |
| 3 | Georgios Antzoulas |  |
GK | 4 February 2000 (aged 25) | Újpest | 2024[43] | 2025[43] | 50 | 3 | |
| 5 | Daniel O'Shaughnessy | |
DF | 14 September 1994 (aged 31) | Karlsruher SC | 2024[44] | 2026[4] | 144 | 9 | |
| 6 | Ville Tikkanen | |
DF | 8 August 1999 (aged 26) | SJK | 2025 | 42 | 0 | ||
| 13 | Kaius Simojoki | |
DF | 21 March 2006 (aged 19) | KäPa | 2024 | 2026(+1)[16] | 43 | 0 | |
| 18 | Aaro Soiniemi | |
DF | 8 August 2005 (aged 20) | KäPa | 2024 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 27 | Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan | |
DF | 25 January 1999 (aged 26) | Klubi 04 | 2018 | 2025[45] | 87 | 2 | |
| 28 | Miska Ylitolva | |
DF | 23 May 2004 (aged 21) | RoPS | 2022[46] | 2026[47] | 68 | 2 | |
| 31 | Mihailo Bogićević |  |
DF | 30 May 1998 (aged 27) | Spartak Subotica | 2025[19] | 2026[19] | 9 | 0 | |
| Midfielders | ||||||||||
| 4 | Alexander Ring | |
MF | 9 April 1991 (aged 34) | Unattached | 2025[8] | 2026[8] | 84 | 24 | |
| 8 | Georgios Kanellopoulos | |
MF | 29 January 2000 (aged 25) | Asteras Tripolis | 2023[48] | 2024(+1)[48] | 108 | 5 | |
| 10 | Lucas Lingman | |
MF | 25 January 1998 (aged 27) | Helsingborg | 2024[49] | 2026[49] | 231 | 14 | |
| 15 | Jere Kallinen | |
MF | 10 January 2002 (aged 23) | AC Oulu | 2025 | 32 | 4 | ||
| 21 | Pyry Mentu | |
MF | 1 November 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2022 | 2027[50] | 47 | 2 | |
| 22 | Liam Möller | |
MF | 21 December 2004 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 54 | 9 | ||
| 41 | Yukiyoshi Karashima |  |
MF | 15 January 1997 (aged 28) | on loan from RFS | 2025[22] | 2025[22] | 2 | 0 | |
| Forwards | ||||||||||
| 7 | Santeri Hostikka | |
FW | 30 September 1997 (aged 28) | Pogoń Szczecin | 2021[51] | 2025[5] | 156 | 26 | |
| 9 | Ardit Tahiri |  |
FW | 6 October 2002 (aged 23) | on loan from Llapi | 2025[25] | 2025[25] | 8 | 0 | |
| 17 | Vicente Besuijen |  |
FW | 10 April 2001 (aged 24) | on loan from Aberdeen | 2025[18] | 2025[18] | 16 | 1 | |
| 19 | David Ezeh | |
FW | 13 February 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2023[52] | 2026[53] | 37 | 6 | |
| 20 | Teemu Pukki | |
FW | 29 March 1990 (aged 35) | Minnesota United | 2025[7] | 2026[7] | 77 | 40 | |
| 91 | Ville Vuorinen | |
FW | 21 February 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 95 | Stanislav Baranov | |
FW | 15 April 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 2026[54] | 9 | 3 | |
| 99 | Benji Michel |  |
FW | 23 October 1997 (aged 28) | Unattached | 2025[12] | 2026[12] | 36 | 9 | |
| Klubi 04 | ||||||||||
| 43 | Eino Tuominen | |
DF | 23 May 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 47 | Emil Leveälahti | |
DF | 22 August 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2024 | 2027[33] | 2 | 0 | |
| 48 | Francis Etu |  |
FW | 10 April 2004 (aged 21) | Klubi 04 | 2023[55] | 2025[55] | 4 | 0 | |
| 49 | Otto Hannula | |
MF | 29 September 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 2026[3] | 7 | 1 | |
| 51 | Kaius Hardén | |
FW | 10 June 2004 (aged 21) | Klubi 04 | 2022 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 53 | Jere Kari | |
DF | 24 February 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2024 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 54 | Adam Zaitra | |
MF | 8 January 2008 (aged 17) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 57 | Arop Ring | |
DF | 18 January 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 59 | Eetu Grönlund | |
DF | 8 August 2008 (aged 17) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 61 | Valo Konttas | |
FW | 7 August 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 62 | Leevi Palmula | |
MF | 23 February 2008 (aged 17) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 63 | Adam Le Goff-Conan | |
DF | 21 April 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 64 | Peetu Hardén | |
MF | 14 March 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 67 | Emil Ingman | |
FW | 1 July 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2024 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 68 | Antton Nylund | |
MF | 18 June 2008 (aged 17) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 2028[31] | 1 | 0 | |
| 72 | Art Berisha | |
MF | 24 April 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 73 | Aaron Traore | |
DF | 2 July 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 74 | Marlo Hyvönen | |
MF | 2 May 2005 (aged 20) | Honka | 2024 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 77 | Liam Rippon |  |
FW | 10 January 2005 (aged 20) | Sydney Olympic | 2025[2] | 2026(+1)[2] | 1 | 0 | |
| 79 | Jussi Tanska | |
GK | 2 May 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 87 | Adiche Sabwele | |
FW | 7 May 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 89 | Mitja Haapanen | |
GK | 4 August 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 92 | Mustafa Abdulrasoul | |
DF | 8 June 2006 (aged 19) | Klubi 04 | 2024 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 94 | Karlo Kajanoja | |
MF | 3 June 2004 (aged 21) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 96 | Ilmo Toivonen | |
DF | 26 January 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 97 | Toivo Mero | |
FW | 7 October 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2024 | 2027[34] | 12 | 0 | |
| 98 | Alex Lietsa | |
DF | 15 February 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Away on loan | ||||||||||
| 11 | Roni Hudd | |
FW | 20 January 2005 (aged 20) | VPS | 2024[56] | 2026(+1)[56] | 11 | 1 | |
| 24 | Michael Boamah | |
DF | 16 April 2003 (aged 22) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 2026[57] | 31 | 1 | |
| Eemil Toivonen | |
MF | 12 December 2006 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2023 | 2026[13] | 2 | 0 | ||
| Salem Bouajila | |
FW | 1 August 2007 (aged 18) | Klubi 04 | 2025 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Left during the season | ||||||||||
| 12 | Cheikh Sidibé |  |
DF | 25 April 1999 (aged 26) | Azam | 2025[11] | 2026(+1)[11] | 1 | 0 | |
| 14 | Matias Ritari | |
MF | 15 July 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2023[58] | 2026(+1)[58] | 16 | 2 | |
| 16 | Aaro Toivonen | |
MF | 19 April 2005 (aged 20) | Klubi 04 | 2022 | 2025[59] | 10 | 0 | |
| 17 | Hassane Bandé |  |
FW | 30 October 1998 (aged 27) | Amiens | 2023[60] | 2025[60] | 55 | 10 | |
| 23 | Ozan Kökçü |  |
MF | 18 August 1998 (aged 27) | FC Eindhoven | 2025[61] | 2026[61] | 26 | ||
| 25 | Thijmen Nijhuis | |
GK | 25 July 1998 (aged 27) | Utrecht | 2024[62] | 2025[62] | 38 | 0 | 1 |
| 42 | Kai Meriluoto | |
FW | 2 January 2003 (aged 22) | Klubi 04 | 2020 | 2025[63] | 46 | 12 | |
| 58 | Hadi Noori |  |
MF | 20 April 2004 (aged 21) | AIK | 2023 | 0 | 0 | ||
Transfers
In
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 January 2025 | MF | | Teemu Pukki | Minnesota United | Undisclosed | [7] |
| 5 February 2025 | MF | | Alexander Ring | Unattached | Free | [8] |
| 7 March 2025 | DF | | Cheikh Sidibé | Azam | Undisclosed | [11] |
| 28 March 2025 | FW | | Benji Michel | Unattached | Free | [12] |
| 8 August 2025 | DF | | Mihailo Bogićević | Spartak Subotica | Undisclosed | [19] |
Loans in
| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 July 2025 | FW | | Vicente Besuijen | Aberdeen | End of season | [18] |
| 15 August 2025 | MF | | Yukiyoshi Karashima | RFS | End of season | [22] |
| 21 August 2025 | GK | | Ricardo Friedrich | Malmö FF | End of season | [23] |
| 26 August 2025 | FW | | Ardit Tahiri | Llapi | End of season | [25] |
Out
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 January 2025 | FW | | Noah Pallas | Vålerenga | Undisclosed | [64] |
| 25 January 2025 | FW | | Anthony Olusanya | Kalmar | Undisclosed | [65] |
| 8 July 2025 | MF | | Aaro Toivonen | KTP | Undisclosed | [66] |
| 8 August 2025 | FW | | Kai Meriluoto | IFK Värnamo | Undisclosed | [20] |
| 8 August 2025 | GK | | Thijmen Nijhuis | Waldhof Mannheim | Undisclosed | [21] |
| 19 November 2025 | GK | | Alex Ramula | PK-35 | Undisclosed | [32] |
Loans out
| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January 2025 | DF | | Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan | Košice | 30 June 2025 | [6] |
| 15 February 2025 | FW | | Kai Meriluoto | NK Maribor | 30 June 2025 | [9] |
| 27 February 2025 | FW | | Salem Bouajila | SV Ried | 30 June 2025 | [10] |
| 31 March 2025 | DF | | Eemil Toivonen | IFK Mariehamn | End of season | [13] |
| 9 July 2025 | MF | | Matias Ritari | IF Gnistan | End of season | [67] |
| 9 July 2025 | FW | | Roni Hudd | Haka | End of season | [68] |
| 24 August 2025 | DF | | Michael Boamah | Haka | End of season | [69] |
| 23 September 2025 | FW | | Salem Bouajila | Göztepe | 30 June 2026 | [27] |
Released
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | Joined | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2025 | MF | | Ozan Kökçü | Volendam | 27 May 2025 | [14][70] |
| 30 June 2025 | FW | | Hassane Bandé | KV Mechelen | 23 October 2025 | [17][71] |
| 25 August 2025 | DF | | Cheikh Sidibé | [24] | ||
| 27 August 2025 | MF | | Hadi Noori | IFK Haninge | 29 August 2025 | [26] |
| 31 December 2025 | GK | | Elmo Henriksson | TPS | [28] | |
| 31 December 2025 | DF | | Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan | VPS | [29] | |
| 31 December 2025 | DF | | Alex Lietsa | AC Oulu | 1 January 2026 | [35] |
| 31 December 2025 | DF | | Georgios Antzoulas | Ingolstadt 04 | [39] | |
| 31 December 2025 | MF | | Georgios Kanellopoulos | OFI Crete | [30] | |
| 31 December 2025 | FW | | Kaius Hardén | Jaro | [38] | |
| 31 December 2025 | FW | | Emil Ingman | SJK | [38] | |
| 31 December 2025 | FW | | Santeri Hostikka | Vanspor | 14 January 2026 | [72] |
| 31 December 2025 | FW | | Francis Etu | Ekenäs | [38] |
