This season’s seventh finishing Pärnu JK Vaprus has announced via their social media platforms, that nine players have renewed their contracts and will be spending another year at the summer capital.
The players in question being goalkeepers Ott Nõmm (20) and Hendrik Vainu (28), defender Markkus Seppik (23, on loan from FC Flora), midfielders Henri Välja (23), Enrico Veensalu (25), Mathias Villota (19) and Sander Kapper (30) and attackers Virgo Vallik (21) and Kevin Kauber (29).
The 28-year old second choice keeper Vainu has played 94 Premium Liiga games in his career, with six of these appearances this season. Eight years younger Nõmm has recorded 87 games in the top flight, of which 30 have come this season.
Seppik has been playing for Vaprus since the summer of 2024, signing on loan from FC Flora. He played 9 games for Vaprus this season, with his career tallying up to 64 games and two goals.
Välja joined Vaprus during the summer window of 2023 on loan till the end of the season from FCI Levadia and permanently at the start of 2024. He scored three and assisted two goals during the 2024 season. In total, he has played 151 games in the top flight, and scored 24 goals.
Making his first team debut in 2017, Veensalu begins his ninth season at the club. He has scored 15 goals in 183 appearances in the league. Last season the left midfielder played in all 36 games, scoring five and assisting a further two.
19-year old Mathias Villota played in 25 league games and two cup ties last season, scoring one and assisting two goals.
Kapper has finished his second season in a Vaprus shirt, playing in 35 league matches, scoring 5 and assisting 3. Beside Vaprus, Kapper has also recorded league appearances at Tartu JK Tammeka and Viljandi JK Tulevik, having played 283 games and scoring 29 goals in his nine seasons in the top flight.
21-year old Vallik made his first Premium Liiga appearances four seasons ago, but he almost entirely missed the 2023 season due to an ACL injury in pre season. In the 2024 season, Vallik made 23 league appearances and scored one, although very important, goal, which got Vaprus their historic first ever win against FC Flora. The right winger played in 26 games across all competitions this season and scored 5 goals.
Kauber was Vaprus’ biggest goal contributor last season, getting 7 goals and 3 assists in 34 games in the league. The striker has recorded 150 league appearances and scored 35 goals in his career at the top flight. He has spent the last three seasons at Vaprus, but has previously played for Paide Linnameeskond, FCI Levadia, TPS and Ekenäs IF in Finland, Slovenian clubs NK Tolmin and NK Krka, FS Jelgava in Latvia and TNS of Wales.
Karl Palatu, the sporting director of Vaprus stated to soccernet.ee in November about the club’s plans of reinforcing the side in the winter transfer window:
“We want to keep the core of the team, bring in youth players from our club’s U21 team and also hire two or three new, more experienced players.”
There have previously been news of long-time captain Magnus Villota extending his contract for the ninth season and the club’s all time top goalscorer Ronaldo Tiismaa departing the club.
Sources: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/vaprus-laheb-uuele-hooajale-vastu-sama-kindapaariga
https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/vaprus-pikendas-veel-kahe-pohimangijaga-lepingut
https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/vaprus-pikendas-kolme-pohimangijaga-lepingut
https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/vapruse-kaks-pohimeest-jatkavad-parnus