FK Panevėžys have strengthened their squad with the signing of Lithuanian international Valdas Paulauskas, who has agreed a contract until the end of the 2027 season after leaving reigning champions Kauno Žalgiris by mutual agreement.
The 25-year-old attacking player spent the last season and a half with Kauno Žalgiris after joining the club at the beginning of 2025. During his time in Kaunas, Paulauskas made 43 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
On Tuesday, Kauno Žalgiris announced that both parties had mutually agreed to terminate the player’s contract, allowing him to immediately join Panevėžys as a free agent.
For Paulauskas, the move represents a return to familiar surroundings. Originally from Palanga, he spent his teenage years in Panevežys between 2014 and 2017, studying at the Raimundas Sargūnas Sports Gymnasium while representing the Panevėžys Football Academy under coach Darius Butkus. He later continued his development at Lithuania’s National Football Academy and also represented Lithuania at youth international level.
Paulauskas began his professional career with Vilnius Riteriai, where he remained until the middle of the 2023 season. In 2022 he was loaned to Banga Gargždai before making the move permanent. His breakthrough campaign came in 2024, when he helped Banga lift the Lithuanian Cup and earned his senior Lithuania debut against Cyprus.
After that successful season he joined Kauno Žalgiris, where he won the 2025 Toplyga title and the 2026 Lithuanian Super Cup before bringing his spell at the club to an end this week.
Speaking after signing for Panevėžys, Paulauskas explained his decision: “Panevėžys showed a real desire to sign me and offered conditions that suited me, so that’s how I ended up here. My goals are simple – to help the team win every match we possibly can.”
The Lithuanian international could make his debut for Panevėžys on July 4, when they host Hegelmann in Toplyga action.
Source: https://fk-panevezys.lt/panevezio-marskinelius-vilkes-v-paulauskas/
