# Saku Ylätupa

Saku Ylätupa (born 4 August 1999) is a Finnish footballer who plays for Kalmar FF. A pacy two-footed Finland international, he prefers to play as an attacking midfielder, but he can also play as a central midfielder, winger or centre-forward.

## Early career

Born in Espoo in 1999, Ylätupa started his football career in a youth team of a local club FC Espoo, before joining HJK youth sector. Ylätupa played in Klubi-04, the reserve team of HJK.

## Club career
### HJK

In 2016, Ylätupa was called up for HJK first team. On 2 April 2016, Ylätupa made his senior debut in Finnish League Cup against FC Lahti at Talin jalkapallohalli, playing the game as a starting line-up during 46 minutes.

### Ajax

On 21 July 2017, it was announced that the midfielder had signed a three-year contract with Dutch side AFC Ajax.

### GIF Sundsvall

On 10 January 2022, Ylätupa signed a three-year contract with GIF Sundsvall in Allsvenskan for a €125.000 transfer fee.

### Kalmar FF

Following Sundsvall's relegation to the Superettan, on 16 January 2023 Ylätupa officially joined fellow Swedish side Kalmar FF for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract with the club.

#### FC Helsingør (loan)

On 5 January 2024, he was sent on loan to Danish club Helsingør for the rest of the 2023–24 season. At the end of the 2023-24 season, which ended with relegation to the Danish 2nd Division for Helsingør, Ylätupa left the club and returned to Kalmar.

## International career

He made his debut in the Finland national football team on 8 January 2019 in a friendly against Sweden, as a 68th-minute substitute for Lassi Lappalainen.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 20 August 2024
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Klubi 04 | 2015 | Kakkonen | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 5 |
| Klubi 04 | 2016 | Kakkonen | 16 | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 12 |
| Klubi 04 | Total | Total | 30 | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 17 |
| HJK | 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| HJK | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| HJK | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| RoPS (loan) | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 3 |
| Jong Ajax | 2018–19 | Eerste Divisie | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| AIK | 2019 | Allsvenskan | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| AIK | 2020 | Allsvenskan | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 |
| AIK | 2021 | Allsvenskan | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 |
| AIK | Total | Total | 24 | 1 | 13 | 3 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| IFK Mariehamn (loan) | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| GIF Sundsvall | 2022 | Allsvenskan | 27 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 5 |
| Kalmar | 2023 | Allsvenskan | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Kalmar | 2024 | Allsvenskan | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 1 |
| Kalmar | Total | Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| Helsingør (loan) | 2023–24 | Danish 1st Division | 8 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 130 | 27 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 | 32 |

### International

    As of match played 12 January 2023
Finland :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 |