Ilari Kangasniemi
Finnish footballer (born 2007)
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Ilari Akseli Kangasniemi (born 2 May 2007) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL League One club Leicester City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ilari Akseli Kangasniemi | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | Seinäjoki, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leicester City | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sepsi-78 | |||
| –2023 | SJK | ||
| 2024–2025 | Inter Milan | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | SJK Akatemia II | 12 | (0) |
| 2023 | SJK Akatemia | 6 | (0) |
| 2025 | Inter Turku II | 4 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Inter Turku | 16 | (1) |
| 2026– | Leicester City | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Finland U16 | 2 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | Finland U17 | 12 | (0) |
| 2023 | Finland U18 | 4 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Finland U19 | 14 | (1) |
| 2026– | Finland U21 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 August 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 August 2026 | |||
Early career
Club career
During the 2023 season, Kangasniemi made six appearances with the club's academy squad SJK II, playing in Finnish second-tier Ykkönen. He also made one appearance in 2023 Finnish Cup for SJK II. On 25 September 2023, his deal with SJK academy was extended.[3][4]
On 31 January 2024, Kangasniemi moved to Italy and signed a permanent contract with Inter Milan for an undisclosed fee. He was registered as a youth player in Inter Milan U17 squad.[5][6][7]
On 26 August 2025, Kangasniemi returned to Finland and signed with Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku on a deal until the end of 2028.[8] On 11 April 2026, he scored his first league goal, a winning goal on a stoppage time in a 2–1 home win over Ilves.[9]
On 26 August 2026, he joined Leicester City on a five year contract,[10][11] for a €2.5 million fee, making it the record transfer fee of Veikkausliiga.[12]
International career
Personal life
His father Tapio is a Finnish volleyball player who has represented the Finland men's national volleyball team.[15]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| SJK Akatemia III | 2022 | Vitonen | 5 | 1 | – | – | – | 5 | 1 | |||
| SJK Akatemia II | 2022 | Kolmonen | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | Kolmonen | 11 | 0 | – | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| SJK Akatemia | 2023 | Ykkönen | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | ||
| Inter Turku II | 2025 | Ykkönen | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| Inter Turku | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2026 | Veikkausliiga | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 6[b] | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| Total | 16 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 4 | ||
| Leicester City | 2026–27 | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 43 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 60 | 5 | ||
- Includes Finnish Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League