After a brief spell in the Netherlands, Estonian international Markus Soomets is heading north. Norwegian First Division side IK Start have announced the signing of the 25-year-old midfielder, who joins on a deal running until the summer of 2026 — with an option to extend for a further year.
Soomets arrives in Kristiansand after parting ways with Dutch Eerste Divisie outfit FC Den Bosch by mutual consent late last month. Having joined the Dutch side from FC Flora Tallinn in December, the central midfielder featured in 19 matches over half a season before opting for a new challenge.
“I’m very happy to have signed with IK Start,” said Soomets upon completing the move. “I feel very welcomed and respected by the club, and I hope to repay that with good performances on the pitch. This is a club with great ambitions and a very positive direction. I’m excited to get started and help the team move forward in the 2025 season.”
IK Start, two-time Norwegian Cup winners (1978 and 1980), are chasing promotion in what is now their fifth straight season in the second tier. At the summer break, they sit second in a tightly contested league table, trailing only Lillestrøm — their first opponent when the league resumes on July 26.
Soomets brings a blend of technical quality and top-flight experience to Start’s midfield. During his five seasons at Flora, he lifted three Estonian Premium Liiga titles and racked up 144 appearances, scoring six goals. His performances earned him a regular place in the national setup, where he has so far collected 17 caps for Estonia.
Start’s head coach Azar Karadas praised the club’s newest addition: “We’re very happy that Markus has chosen to join IK Start. We’ve followed him for quite some time, and he fits the profile of our team extremely well. Our conversations during the process have been very positive, and it’s great to have everything finalized. He brings valuable experience from both club and international football, and we look forward to seeing him in yellow and black.”
Sporting director Mick Priest added more insight into the club’s long-standing interest: “We’ve been monitoring Markus since November, when our data partners at Jamestown Analytics identified him as a player we should be tracking. It wasn’t possible to sign him in the winter, but we kept a close eye on his progress. He’s taken steps forward — something reflected in his regular call-ups to the Estonian national team. When Jamestown delivered a deeper analysis for us in May, it became clear we should act if the opportunity arose. We’re thrilled to bring in a player of his quality to our squad.”
Source: https://www.ikstart.no/nyheter/landslagsspiller-signerer-med-ik-start
