Jesse Joronen joins Venezia FC

Venezia FC are pleased to announce the acquisition of Finland international goalkeeper Jesse Joronen, 29, who arrives from Serie B club Brescia and has signed a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year. As part of the transfer agreement, goalkeeper Luca Lezzerini and winger Nicolas Galazzi make permanent moves to Brescia.

Joronen was tied for the most clean sheets in Serie B last season with 15.

Over the last three seasons at Brescia, Joronen made 29 appearances with five clean sheets in Serie A and 78 appearances with 23 clean sheets in the Serie B regular season and promotion playoffs.

Brescia acquired Joronen for their 2019/20 Serie A campaign from FC Copenhagen, where the Finnish ‘keeper had won the Danish Superliga in the 2018/19 season, while conceding just 27 goals in 31 league matches, after making his name in Denmark with AC Horsens the previous season.

As a teenager, Joronen joined the academy of Fulham FC, and, after signing his first professional contract with the club in 2010, he would remain on the books at Craven Cottage through the 2016/17 season, though he would cut his professional teeth in a series of loan spells at Maidenhead United, Cambridge United, FC Lahti, Accrington Stanley, and Stevenage, while making a total of four first team appearances for his parent club before leaving England for Denmark.

At international level, Joronen has earned 16 caps with Finland’s senior national team, making his most recent appearance for his country earlier this month in the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League B.

Lezzerini, 27, joined Venezia in August 2018 and made 70 appearances in all competitions for the club over the last four seasons. In Venezia’s promotion-winning 2020/21 season, Lezzerini was in goal for 21 league matches until suffering a season-ending knee injury in February 2021. After returning to health, the Rome-born ‘keeper made six appearances in Serie A last season.

Galazzi, 21, joined Venezia in June 2021 and made one appearance for the club, coming on as a substitute in the 2021/22 Serie A season opener at Napoli, before going out on loan to Serie C club Triestina for the remainder of the season.

Welcome, Jesse. And good luck to Luca and Nicolas.