KAA Gent have officially announced the signing of Latvian youth international Miķelis Krišjānis Menniks, who spent the start of this season on loan at Skanstes SK from FK Metta.
The 16-year-old left-footed midfielder is currently away with Latvia’s U-19 national team at the 2027 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament in San Marino. This season marked his first experience in senior football, making four appearances in the Latvian First League while registering two assists, both coming in a 6-1 victory against Rēzeknes FA.
Menniks, who turns 17 next week, was also part of the FS Metta side that won the Baltic Youth Football League U16 title last year. On the international stage he has already collected 10 appearances for Latvia’s U-17 national team, scoring twice.
In their official announcement, Gent confirmed that Menniks will join Jong KAA Gent next season – the club’s reserve side competing in Belgium’s second division.
Known by the nickname “The Buffaloes,” Gent remain one of Belgium’s historic clubs, although they have won the Belgian league title only once in their history alongside four Belgian Cup trophies. This season the club is once again battling for European qualification, currently sitting sixth in the championship group with three matches remaining. KV Mechelen sit level on points above them, while RSC Anderlecht are two points further ahead.
Baltic football fans will also remember Gent from the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, where the Belgian side narrowly defeated RFS 3-2 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. Later that same season Gent also defeated FC Flora Tallinn twice by 1-0 scorelines during the group stage.
The club currently also employs Maksim Paškotši, although the Estonia international defender’s season has ended prematurely because of injury.
Source: https://www.kaagent.be/nl/nieuws/11-05-2026/mikelis-menniks-tekent-voor-jong-kaa-gent
