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# Who is Ilari Kangasniemi? Meet the centre-back set to join Leicester City

- **Source:** 
- **Published:** 24 Aug
- **Club:** Leicester City
- **Original URL:** https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leicester-city-ilari-kangasniemi-transfer-11124303

Leicester City are closing in on the signing of 19-year-old centre-back Ilari Kangasniemi, LeicestershireLive understands.

The Foxes have been searching for a new centre-back since Ben Nelson suffered an ACL injury. Transfer speculation around Wout Faes' future has only increased the need for reinforcements.

Over the weekend, City boss Russell Martin hinted that the club could have a new centre-back through the door before Tuesday's Carabao Cup trip to Ipswich Town. It now appears Kangasniemi could be the player Martin was referring to.

According to Yle Urheila in Finland, the teenager is set to travel to England on Monday to undergo his medical before completing his move to Leicester. Should the deal go through, the €2.5m (£2.1m) fee would set a new transfer record for Finland's top division, surpassing the previous record set by Teemu Pukki's move to FC Schalke in 2011.

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Standing at 6 ft 6 in, the same height as Harry Souttar, the defender has attracted interest throughout the summer. In July, FC Inter Turku rejected an offer worth over €1.5m (£1.2m), but the defender has started 14 of Inter's 21 league games so far this season.

Kangasniemi, who scored in Inter's LiigaCup final win over AC Oulu in March, has also helped Inter Turku move within touching distance of qualifying for the Conference League league phase. After beating FK Sarajevo, Basaksehir and FC Vaduz in the early qualifying rounds, Inter face FC Copenhagen in the play-off round - drawing 0-0 in the first-leg with Kangasniemi last week.

The 19-year-old has already had an unusual career path. He came through the youth ranks at hometown club SJK Seinajoki before joining Italian giants Inter Milan. He was a regular for the youth teams at the San Siro, including two appearances in the UEFA Youth League in 2024.

Last summer, he returned to Finland and signed a three-year contract with FC Inter Turku. Since then, he has played 32 times and scored four goals. In the 2026 campaign, he has completed 89.6 per cent of his passes and made 1,297 touches, ranking him in the top 12 per cent of players in the Veikkausliiga.

Kangasniemi's potential arrival would come at a crucial time for Leicester, who are light at centre-back following Nelson's injury and Jannik Vestergaard's exit earlier this summer. Caleb Okoli and Harry Souttar have started the first three games of the season, while both have been linked with moves away. Faes, meanwhile, has not been involved due to speculation around his future.