Viljami Kari Veikko Sinisalo (born 11 October 2001) is a Finnish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for League One club Burton Albion, on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa. Sinisalo previously played for FC Espoo in the Finnish Kakkonen (third tier), making his league debut aged only fifteen, and has appeared regularly at youth international level for Finland, most recently captaining the under-21 side.
![]() Sinisalo with Finland U21 in 2022 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Viljami Kari Veikko Sinisalo[1] | ||
Date of birth | (2001-10-11) 11 October 2001 (age 21)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Espoo, Finland | ||
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Club information | |||
Current team |
Burton Albion (on loan from Aston Villa) | ||
Number | 24 | ||
Youth career | |||
Hyvinkään Palloseura | |||
HJK | |||
FC Honka | |||
0000–2017 | FC Espoo | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017–2018 | FC Espoo | 1 | (0) |
2018– | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
2020–2021 | → Ayr United (loan) | 22 | (0) |
2022– | → Burton Albion (loan) | 2 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2017–2018 | Finland U17 | 6 | (0) |
2019 | Finland U19 | 4 | (0) |
2020– | Finland U21 | 11 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:17, 17 August 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:21 11 July 2022 (UTC) |
Sinisalo spent his youth career with Hyvinkään Palloseura, HJK and FC Honka,[4] and made his senior league debut for FC Espoo in June 2017, aged only 15.[5]
He joined Aston Villa's academy in 2018,[6] and was a regular player in their under-18 and under-23 sides before joining Ayr United in the Scottish Championship on loan until the end of the season on 25 September 2020.[7][8] He made his Ayr United debut on 6 October 2020, in a 5-2 away Scottish League Cup victory over Albion Rovers.[9] On 8 April 2021, Sinisalo's loan was cut short, after he suffered a groin injury and returned to Aston Villa.[10]
On 6 July 2021, Sinisalo was amongst several Academy players who were given new professional contracts.[11] One year on, on 6 July 2022, Sinisalo renewed his Aston Villa contract once again.[12]
On 11 July 2022, Sinisalo signed for League One club Burton Albion on a season-long loan.[13] He made his debut on 9 August 2022, in a 2–0 EFL Cup defeat to Rochdale.[14]
Sinisalo has played for Finland at under-17 and under-19 levels.[2] On 17 November 2020, he made his debut for the Under-21s in a UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Malta.[15] Sinisalo was named Finland U21's captain for their 15 November 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Estonia.[16]
On 14 September 2022, Sinisalo was selected for the Finland senior squad for the first time, for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Romania and Montenegro.[17] Sinisalo was an unused substitute in both games.[18]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
FC Espoo | 2017 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Aston Villa | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Aston Villa U21 | 2020–21 | — | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
2021–22 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
Ayr United (loan) | 2020–21 | Scottish Championship | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
Burton Albion (loan) | 2022–23 | League One | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Career total | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Burton Albion F.C. – current squad | |
---|---|
|
![]() ![]() | This biographical article related to a football goalkeeper from Finland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |