J. Karlsson

Following his move to Aberdeen, Karlsson's current-season form is up 122% on last season (Season 9→20), while his Rating eased 60→31. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 73).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	UtrechtLoan · 6th	18	4	1	6.89	45	16
2025/26	AberdeenLoan · 8th	18	5	0	6.85	31	20
2024/25	LecceLoan	17	1	0	6.49	—	—
2024/25	Bologna · 9th	24	2	0	6.49	60	9
2023/24	Bologna · 5th	7	0	0	6.87	63	0
2023/24	AZ Alkmaar	1	0	0	6.7	—	—
2022/23	AZ Alkmaar · 4th	23	9	4	7.23	71	42
2021/22	AZ Alkmaar · 5th	38	17	12	7.37	80	73

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 6 earlier seasons in the full career.

Sweden · international

Side	Apps	G
Sweden	12	5
Sweden U21	5	6
Sweden U19	6	2

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

Scout report

Squad depthCentral midfielder

J. Karlsson is a 28-year-old central midfielder at Aberdeen, rated 31.1 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (37.7% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.12 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Karlsson.

On the season, Karlsson graded 20 for current form (age-blind), on 5 goals, 0 assists and 1.115 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 9 → 20). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 31. At 28 Karlsson is in his prime years, and a market index of 4.4 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2021/22 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2021/22Trending downStreaky

31.1

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

19.7

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

37.7%

Minutes

rotation minutes

1.12

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Aberdeen finished 8th of 12 · a mid-table side

Apps

1.12

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.12 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 18 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 5 goals and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.35 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Game time. Only 37.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Defensive numbers. Modest 1.12 defensive actions per 90 for the position.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 31.1 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.12 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). 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 %37.7%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.349

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.349

Defensive actions / 901.115

Player flow

Goal involvements5

Cards / 900.139

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 (~20), then tapers with age. At 28, Karlsson sits on 4.4, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Karlsson's projected Rating — 31.1 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 Serie A with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals5

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles8

Interceptions7

Blocks1

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

€13.6M total transfer fees · 9 moves

Bologna(back from loan)Jun 2026 – now

Utrecht(on loan)Jan 2026 – Jun 2026

Bologna(back from loan)Jan 2026 – Jan 2026

Aberdeen(on loan)Sept 2025 – Jan 2026

Bologna(back from loan)Jul 2025 – Sept 2025

Lecce(on loan)Jan 2025 – Jul 2025

BolognaAug 2023 – Jan 2025€ 11M

AZ AlkmaarOct 2020 – Aug 2023€ 2.6M

IF ElfsborgJan 2017 – Oct 2020

Falkenbergs FFuntil Jan 2017

About J. Karlsson

Karl Jesper Karlsson is a 28-year-old central midfielder who plays for Bologna, born on July 25, 1998, standing 171 cm tall. He is from Sweden. Bologna currently sit 16th of 20 in the Serie A.

This season

In the current season, J. Karlsson has made 18 appearances with 5 goals and 0 assists across 1,291 minutes, with 2 yellow cards.

J. Karlsson's next match is on August 31, 2026, when Bologna face Atalanta away in the Serie A.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Karlsson at 31.1 with a Season form score of 19.7. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 11 recorded seasons, J. Karlsson has totalled 291 club appearances with 75 goals and 35 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 38 appearances for AZ Alkmaar.

J. Karlsson's career has also included time at Utrecht, Aberdeen, Lecce, AZ Alkmaar, IF Elfsborg and Falkenbergs FF.

On the international stage, J. Karlsson has represented Sweden, Sweden U21, Sweden U19 — 23 caps and 13 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Also this season

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Aberdeen finished 8th of 12 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points