Hibs Keeper Departs

Otso Virtanen has departed Easter Road having failed to settle in Scotland and signed a two year contract with Finnish Premier League outfit Kuopion Palloseura.

Virtanen arrived at the club last January from IFK Mariehamn amid initial high hopes for the player to have a long term future at the club.

Standing some 6’5′ tall the Finland Under 21 goalkeeper appeared to have all the attributes to become a future No.1 for Hibs but having featured only once as a substitute he was overlooked for the Scottish Cup semi final last season when then first choice Mark Oxley was suspended, his place taken by Conrad Logan who’d not played competitively for 14 months.

After Alan Stubbs departure, new boss Neil Lennon gave Virtanen a chance in his first competitive match in charge against Brondby in the Europa League qualifiers but the Finn failed to take the opportunity and it was his mistake in the first minute which saw the Danes win the match 1-0.

It was to ultimately lead to the end of Virtanen’s career in the Scottish capital as Lennon preferred Ross Laidlaw for the return before signing Israeli Ofir Marciano on a season long loan which relegated the 22 year old to third choice ‘keeper.

Confirming the signing on the club’s official website , KUPS manager Jani Honka said ‘Otso is the best goalkeeper in the Veikkausliiga (Finnish top flight.) He is a quiet, tall and a good reaction blocker. Virtanen has not been playing in Scotland, but has shown little loss of ability.

‘We wanted a high-quality Finnish goalkeeper and that’s what we got. We must be really pleased.’