Tammeka have completed the emergency loan signing of goalkeeper Kristen Lapa from FC Flora, with the deal set to run for four months.
The agreement is in place until the end of the summer transfer window, with the club moving to bolster their options after injuries in the goalkeeping lineup.
Board member Kristjan Tiirik said the move was prompted by long-term absences for two first-team goalkeepers. “We needed another goalkeeper because two of the first-team goalkeepers are out for a long time,” Tiirik said. “Richard Aland’s season ended due to an Achilles tendon rupture and Kristofer Sahtel is still out for about four months because of a collarbone fracture. Therefore we applied for and received special permission from the Estonian Football Association board to register a goalkeeper outside the transfer window.”
Lapa, a left-footed keeper who stands 1.91m tall, has made 51 Premium liiga appearances across spells with Flora and Kuressaare, and has represented Estonia at youth level up to Under-21.
“My first impressions are very positive and the team welcomed me well,” Lapa said. “I already know some of the players from before. I’ve trained together with goalkeeping coach Mait Toom, I know Mairo Miil from the youth national teams, and also briefly Carl-Kaiser Kiidjärv.
“Of course I’ve played together with Richard Aland as well, and unfortunately because of his injury I got this opportunity to come here. It’s a shame it happened that way for him. But I’ll try to replace him on the pitch as well as I can.”
Tammeka’s next match is away to Vaprus in Pärnu on Saturday, with kick-off at 17:00 at Rehepapi artificial pitch.
___________________
Source: https://www.jktammeka.ee/post/varavavaht-kristen-lapa-liitub-neljaks-kuuks-jk-tammekaga
