Ilmari Niskanen

Following his move to Blackpool, Niskanen's current-season form is level with last season (Season 35→35), while his Rating held around 39. His peak season for form remains 2025/26 (Season 35).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Blackpool · 10th	1	0	0	2.89	39	35
2025/26	Exeter City · 21st	46	3	13	6.92	39	35
2024/25	Exeter City · 16th	40	2	1	6.76	42	27
2023/24	Exeter City · 13th	33	0	4	6.82	45	25
2023/24	Dundee Utd	1	0	0	—	—	—
2022/23	Dundee Utd · 3rd	20	1	1	6.52	44	14

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 9 earlier seasons in the full career.

Finland · international

Side	Apps	G
Finland	26	1
Finland U21	5	0
Finland U19	3	0
Finland U17	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerCreative Central midfielder

I. Niskanen is a 28-year-old central midfielder at Exeter City, enjoying a standout season — 3 goals and 13 assists in 46 appearances, a Season grade of 51. On long-term scout potential he's rated 38.4. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present (100% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.97 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Niskanen.

On the season, Niskanen graded 51 for current form (age-blind), on 3 goals, 13 assists and 2.973 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 35 → 35). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2025/26.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 38. At 28 Niskanen is in his prime years, and a market index of 8.6 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Niskanen is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2021/22Stepped up 2021/224 clubs

38.4

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

50.7

Seasoni

a solid contributor and squad regular

100%

Minutes

near ever-present

2.97

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Exeter City finished 21st of 24 · a lower-table side

Apps

2.97

Def. / 90

103

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.97 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 13 clean sheets across 46 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (21st of 24) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 3 goals and 13 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 100% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.35 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 38.4 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.97 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %100%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.065

Assists / 900.282

Goal contribution / 900.347

Defensive actions / 902.973

Player flow

Goal involvements16

Cards / 900.13

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~14), then tapers with age. At 28, Niskanen sits on 8.6, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Niskanen's projected Rating — 38.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the League One with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals3

Passing

Assists13

Defending

Tackles103

Interceptions25

Blocks9

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards6

Red cards0

Transfer history

BlackpoolJun 2026 – nowFree

Exeter CityAug 2023 – Jun 2026

Dundee UtdAug 2021 – Aug 2023

FC Ingolstadt 04until Aug 2021

About I. Niskanen

Ilmari Niskanen is a 28-year-old central midfielder who plays for Blackpool, born on October 27, 1997 in Kiuruvesi, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Finland. Blackpool currently sit 10th of 24 in the League One.

This season

In the current season, I. Niskanen has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 31 minutes.

I. Niskanen's next match is on September 19, 2026, when Blackpool face Plymouth at home in the League One.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates I. Niskanen at 38.4 with a Season form score of 50.7. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Veikkausliiga. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 14 recorded seasons, I. Niskanen has totalled 380 club appearances with 35 goals and 23 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 46 appearances for Exeter City.

I. Niskanen's career has also included time at Exeter City, Dundee Utd and FC Ingolstadt 04.

On the international stage, I. Niskanen has represented Finland, Finland U21, Finland U19, Finland U17 — 37 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.