Norwegian club Sogndal IL has announced the signing of Latvian national team midfielder Lūkass Vapne on a loan deal from FK Metta, which includes an option to buy at the end of the season.
Vapne garnered attention from several prominent clubs in Latvia after an impressive season with Valmiera, where he netted ten goals and contributed 13 assists. However, the 21-year-old midfielder was eager to explore opportunities abroad, seeking new challenges after spending his entire career in the Latvian Virslīga.
A product of the Metta academy, Lūkass made his debut in the Virslīga in 2020 at the age of 16. Over his career, he has accumulated a total of 141 appearances in the league, scoring 28 goals and assisting 32 times for both FK Metta and Valmiera FC, which includes a Virslīga title with Valmiera FC in 2022.
In addition to his club success, Lūkass has represented Latvia at all age levels. His outstanding performance during his loan at Valmiera earned him a call-up to the national team by manager Paolo Nicolato, leading to his debut. To date, he has made eight appearances for Latvia, six of which were in the Nations League C.
Lukass arrived in Sogndal last night and had his first training session earlier today. He shared that his decision to join Sogndal came after several positive conversations with the club.
“I’ve had some great discussions with Luis Pimenta, which helped me realize that Sogndal is the right move for me,” Lūkass said. “I’ve also spoken extensively with Håvard Flo [Sogndal DoF], who shared valuable insights about the club’s philosophy and history. Sogndal reminds me of my childhood club, but it’s definitely a step up to a bigger club in a more competitive league. I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
Manager Luis Pimenta expressed his enthusiasm for Vapne’s signing, stating, “Lūkass is a player with the potential to become a complete midfielder. We employ a formation with four midfielders, and with proper development, he can excel in all three roles. He is versatile but needs to refine specific skills for each position. This is undoubtedly a significant signing for the club, and I want to give credit to Terje Skjeldestad and Håvard Flo for their efforts in making this happen. He also brings a considerable threat in the final third, and his numbers from last year are impressive.”
Sogndal IL competes in the OBOS-ligaen, Norway’s second tier. The club is managed by Portuguese specialist Luis Pimenta, who previously had a very brief stint as the manager of Riga FC during an offseason. Last season, Sogndal made headlines with their record sale of 18-year-old Ghanaian winger Edmund Baidoo to Red Bull Salzburg for a reported fee of 3.3 million, potentially rising to 5 million with bonuses.
Sogndal IL will kick off their new league season on March 31, facing Start IK.
Source: https://www.sogndalfotball.no/nyheiter/velkommen-lukass-vapne
