HJK reportedly signing Finnish goalkeeper Jasper Samooja from Italy

HJK, a leading Finnish football club, is nearing an agreement to acquire Finnish goalkeeper Jasper Samooja, 22, from Italian side US Lecce. Sources indicate the deal would be a loan with an option to buy, bringing the young talent back to Finland. Italian football transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio first reported Samooja's potential move to Helsinki, though he did not initially specify the club.

Samooja, standing at 193 centimeters, joined Lecce in the summer of 2021. He featured in 14 matches for the U19 Primavera league during the 2021-2022 season. Since then, he has been part of Lecce's senior squad, frequently named on the bench for Serie A matches, but has yet to make his senior debut for the club.

This potential acquisition addresses HJK's goalkeeping situation. The club's current first-choice keeper is Croatian Matej Markovic, 30, whose contract includes an option for next season. Second-choice goalkeeper Jesse Öst, 35, is nearing the end of his contract and has played in eight matches this season. HJK is currently third in the Veikkausliiga and is preparing for a Conference League qualifier against Motherwell in Scotland.