Lithuanian U-21 international centre-back Motiejus Šapola has joined Italian Serie C side Spezia Calcio on a season-long loan from Serie B club Pisa, with Spezia holding an option to make the move permanent and Pisa retaining a counter-option.
The 20-year-old defender joined Pisa from Žalgiris Vilnius at the beginning of 2023 and spent his first two and a half seasons developing in the club’s youth system. Last season marked his first taste of senior football, as he enjoyed loan spells with fellow Serie C clubs Siracusa Calcio and Citta di Pontedera.
Across the two loans, Šapola made 30 league appearances and scored twice, establishing himself as a regular at senior level.
Pisa have now opted to send the young defender out on loan once again, this time to Spezia. The club competed in Serie A as recently as the 2022/23 season before suffering relegation from Serie B last season, meaning they will play in Italy’s third tier for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign.
Šapola has represented Lithuania at every youth level from Under-15 to Under-21 and has already earned seven caps for the Lithuanian U-21 national team.
