CONFIMRED - Anssi Jaakkola

[Royal1988]

Confirmed on the official site

Reading Football Club are pleased to announce that Finnish goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola has completed a move to Madejski Stadium, signing a two-year deal with the Royals.

The 29-year-old keeper joins the RG2 ranks for an undisclosed transfer fee, moving from South African top flight side Ajax Cape Town to become a Reading player ahead of the 2016-17 campaign.

The 6’5” Finn began his career in his homeland before moving to Tuscany and Italian side Siena in 2006. He went on to represent Slavia Prague for one season before a move to the UK transpired when Kilmarnock came calling for his services in 2011.

He played 13(+1) times for Killie, managed by fellow Finn Mixu Paatelainen at the time, and Jaakkola kept six clean sheets during his time at Rugby Park whilst also making a senior international appearance for Finland against Sweden.

Three years ago he put pen to paper on move to the Premier Soccer League out in South Africa and he kept a clean sheet in the final of the MTN 8 cup competition in 2015 to hand his Cape Town club a 1-0 win over the Kaizer Chiefs at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Anssi now becomes a Royal, signing a contract which is set to keep him at Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2018. This evening, he will fly out to Holland to link up with his new teammates during a pre-season training camp in Oosterbeek.

[blueroyals]

What's the link here? Tevreden owe him a favor? Same agent as the kit man? This club has a very Charlton-like vibe to it at the moment

[From Despair To Where?]

What's the link here? Tevreden owe him a favor? Same agent as the kit man? This club has a very Charlton-like vibe to it at the moment

Its nothing Steve Coppell didn't do when he was squad building with us. Lets just hope he's more Ivar than Brooker.

I think Stam's looking for cheap, reliable players that he knows can do a job short term.

[Royal_jimmy]

Yay we signed another player

[3points]

His agent is Sander Westerveld, who used to play with Stam I believe

[Platypuss]

Good call royalp-we

[BonBoh]

To the tune of The Kinks 'Lola'

Well, I'm not dumb but I can't understand
Why he play like a woman and talk like a man
Oh Jaakkola, Ja Ja Ja Jaakkola, Ja Ja Ja Jaakkola

[NewCorkSeth]

Interesting. Bond out on loan or 3 GKs in the squad?

[Mr Optimist]

It would be nice to have a keeper you had confidence in again,
hopefully. I am sure our defence will feel the same.

[Upper West Ginger]

The interview on YouTube was interesting in that it made reference to Al Habsi but none whatsoever to Bond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XncfJNEo4P4
Around 2:23, the interviewer refers to him "..providing healthy competition with Ali Al Habsi, who has been the Number 1 last season. Hopefully that's what it will be, two good goalkeepers vying for that jersey."
I reckon Bond is on his way out.

[bluerinse]

I think Bond needs to play regular football. I expect the plan is to loan him out to a club where he is guaranteed first team football.

[maffff]

His agent is Sander Westerveld, who used to play with Stam I believe

His agent is World Soccer Consult.

WSC consists of three people

- Henk van Ginkel
- Henk Timmer
- Sander Westerveld

van Ginkel is Stams agent, Timmer was there the day of the signing so has some involvement involved with the club. Bakkati and Ulderink are also managed by them.

WSC players (link) include Jaakkola, van den Berg and this Matavz fells we've been linked with.

Also Westerveld was a goalkeeping coach at Ajax Cape Town until last season, so spent two years with him.

Also, van Ginkel has set up networks across South America, including Brazil. So it wouldn't be shocking to see us take a few punts on South Americans over time. van Ginkel was involved in Maxwell going to the Netherlands from Cruzeiro then on to PSG - he's helped find a few decent players over the years.



Not sure if there's any connection between these guys and Tevreden, Gravenberch or Mendes. Nothing immediately obvious, except Tevreden was at Ajax.

[andrew1957]

Does anyone have any idea what fee was paid for Jaakkola?

[K.URZ13]

Pleased with this signing. Neither of last seasons keepers inspired me with confidence and I've got a good feeling about this bloke. The new Jussi Jaaskelainen.

[maffff]

Does anyone have any idea what fee was paid for Jaakkola?

£4

[maffff]

or four Colin Doyle's, if you prefer.