1860 München swoop for Saarinen

TSV 1860 München have signed Finnish international Janne Saarinen from Norwegian champions Rosenborg BK on a three-year contract.

'Small fee'
The 26-year-old has joined for what was, in his own words, "a rather small transfer fee". The left-sided defender has earned 24 caps for his country and appeared all six of Rosenborg's UEFA Champions League group stage matches last season.

'Future star'
From when he made his debut for HJK Helsinki as a 16-year-old, Saarinen was immediately touted as a future star of Finnish football. A difficult spell in Sweden with IFK Göteborg from 1996-99, where he was reduced to little more than substitute appearances, did not do an enormous amount for Saarinen's confidence, but a return to HJK in 1999 helped him get back on the right track.

Winning goal
He scored the winning goal in the 2000 Finnish Cup final with a fierce free-kick and Rosenborg were impressed enough by his performances to take him to the Lerkendal stadium in December 2000.

Fifth signing
The Finnish international is 1860 München’s fifth summer signing after André Lenz (from FC Energie Cottbus), Matthias Lehmann (VfB Stuttgart), Joseph Kendrick (Newcastle United FC) and Francis Kioyo (1. FC Köln).