Jaakko Oksanen leaves KuPS after the Crystal Palace match.
Jaakko Oksanen bids farewell to KuPS. NIKLAS PEHKONEN / AOP
Jaakko Oksanen wants to enjoy his last KuPS match to the fullest.
The 25-year-old midfielder went for a spin with his teammates in central London on Wednesday night. On Thursday, there is a crucial Conference League match against the local Crystal Palace.
– Good feelings. It’s a pretty amazing match selected as the last KuPS game for now: an opponent from the Premier League and big stakes, Oksanen starts.
KuPS must avoid defeat in order to continue in the Conference League also in the playoff round in February. Oksanen will then no longer be involved.
He will move to Kazakhstan at the turn of the year.
The player’s transfer to Kairat, which is still participating in the Champions League, was announced on Monday. Of course, the process had already started around November.
– It took about a month for the interest to turn into an offer. We tossed it around with other options, and last weekend we finished it.
So there is one more KuPS game ahead. After that, Oksanen packs his bags and moves to the valley of the northern slope of the Ilin Alatau Mountains, to the city of Almaty.
– The direction is indeed exotic. I have pretty clear tunes. The club offers me an apartment and I will move into it around the middle of January.
– From there it starts to move forward under its own weight.
Against Arsenal?
Kairat will also face Club Brugge (20.1.) in the Champions League and Arsenal (28.1.) away. Oksanen has not yet been told whether he will also be promoted directly to the team’s Euro strength.
– It depends on how the registration patterns go. I’m not done with them yet.
Kairat is clearly a richer club than KuPS. It is also reflected in Oksanen’s salary offer.
– It is significantly better than what you can earn in the Veikkausliiga. There is a clear difference.
– Of course, tax reasons also affect it. It is much smaller than in Finland.
Oksanen signed a two-year contract with Kairat. MATTI RAIVIO / AOP
Kairat is a good intermediate step on the way to even brighter football lights. Few foreigners dream of playing in the Kazakh league, but it is easier to get a foot in the door of the European super leagues as well.
– I signed a two-year contract. It was of great importance that the team won its own series, which means that it will play European games again next year. They are key factors that help you advance in your career.
– When the team succeeds in them, individuals also stand out.
One more such match awaits at Selhurst Park on Thursday night. KuPS starts the fight as an underdog, but the Palace manager by Oliver Glasner the promised changes to the starting line-up may make the task of the Yellow Jackets easier.
– We will go through the defense. When one’s own head stays clean for as long as possible, the probabilities are higher for points.
– It’s great for KuPS as a club that a thousand-strong team of supporters is coming to watch the game. It will be a unique event.
The transfer of the branch is already certain. However, he assures that he is not thinking about Kairat yet. Tonight, the KuPS heart still beats in his chest.
– Of course, I’ll go all out. The club will make history if we get the result here. I’ll give it my all.