Alexei Eremenko

Alexei Eremenko (born Aleksei Alekseyevich Yeryomenko; Алексей Алексеевич Ерёменко; born 24 March 1983) is a former professional footballer. He is from a footballing family, with his father, Aleksei Yeryomenko, and brothers Roman Eremenko and Sergei Eremenko also playing professionally.

Eremenko was born in Rostov-on-Don in the Soviet Union, but grew up in Finland. He made his breakthrough with HJK in 2002, and became known as versatile midfielder and a set piece specialist. A mediocre spell with Italian club Lecce followed, before he came to prominence at Russian club Saturn. He moved to Metalist Kharkiv in 2009, but was loaned out twice, especially impressing with Kilmarnock where he was nominated for the 2010–11 Players' Player of the Year award. He returned to the club on a permanent deal in January 2014. After failing to negotiate a contract extension, he played in Finland until retiring from football in 2017.

Eremenko represented Finland between 2003 and 2013, and was a key player for the team in 2006 World Cup qualifying, scoring seven goals, four of which came from free kicks. He ended his international career with 57 caps in which he scored 14 goals.

Early life
Eremenko was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union but moved to Finland with his family at the age of seven when his father, former FC Dynamo Moscow and FC Spartak Moscow player Aleksei Yeryomenko, came to play in Finland with FF Jaro. He was granted Finnish citizenship in 2003, but still holds a Russian passport as well. He is the elder brother of fellow footballers Roman Eremenko and Sergei Eremenko.

Club career
Eremenko spent some time with Tromsø IL in Norway (his father played for the senior team, he himself played for the under-fifteen team) and with the youth academy of FC Metz in France, before returning to Finland to make his Veikkausliiga debut with FC Jokerit in 2001. A trial with Aston Villa followed, but in the next season he moved to HJK, and eventually became the league's top player. He won two Finnish championships and one Finnish Cup with HJK.

Lecce and Saturn
In the summer of 2004, Eremenko moved abroad, joining Italian Serie A club U.S. Lecce for €250,000. He made 38 appearances with Lecce in all competitions, but after failing to make a major breakthrough at Lecce, he moved to Russian Premier League club FC Leon Saturn Ramenskoye on a four-year deal in January 2006 transfer window for a transfer fee of €1.5 million, becoming a key player for the Russian side.

Metalist Kharkiv
On 29 July 2009, Eremenko signed a three-year contract with the Ukrainian Premier League club FC Metalist Kharkiv, and scored his first goal in his debut game against HNK Rijeka.

Jaro (loan)
On 12 March 2010, it was announced that Eremenko had been traded back to his first club, FF Jaro, for the 2010 season (his father was the club's manager at the time). He managed to score on his debut, in a Finnish League Cup game against JJK on 20 March 2010. He also continued scoring in Veikkausliiga's opening match against FC Lahti, scoring on a rebound after his unsuccessful penalty kick.

Kilmarnock (loan)
On 30 August 2010, it was announced that Eremenko had been loaned to Mixu Paatelainen's Kilmarnock until the end of the season. He scored on his debut in a 2–1 victory over St Mirren. On 5 March 2011, Eremenko was given his second straight red card of the season against Hearts at Tynecastle after an off the ball altercation with the opposition captain Marius Zaliukas. On 11 April, Eremenko stated that he wanted to end his career at Rugby Park. Eremenko was nominated for the 2010–11 Players' Player of the Year award, losing out to Celtic's Emilio Izaguirre.

After returning from his loan spell, Metalist Kharkiv told him he could leave, where he then stated that he had received bids from an English Championship club and a Russian club, with reports that Scottish Old Firm duo Celtic and Rangers were interested in signing him. The Championship club was later reported to be the Welsh club Cardiff City. Brighton & Hove Albion, a fellow Championship club, were also believed to be interested in signing him. On 15 July 2011, it was reported in a Finnish newspaper that Eremenko was signing for Leeds United, but the transfer was delayed due to a cancelled flight, which prevented him from linking up with the squad in Scotland.

Rubin Kazan
On 30 August 2011, Eremenko signed a contract with Russian club Rubin Kazan alongside his younger brother Roman, for a fee of €500,000.

Kairat Almaty
In June 2013, Kazakhstan Premier League club Kairat Almaty signed Eremenko for a €200,000 fee from Rubin Kazan. He terminated his contract with Kairat on 26 November 2013.

Return to Kilmarnock
On 28 January 2014, it was announced that Eremenko had re-joined Kilmarnock until the end of the 2013–14 season. On 7 August 2014, he signed a new contract at Kilmarnock, keeping him at the club for the 2014–15 season. At the end of that season, Eremenko left the club after failing to agree to the terms on a new contract.

Return to Jaro
On 7 August 2015, Eremenko signed again for FF Jaro, agreeing to a contract until the end of the 2015 Veikkausliiga season, with the contract also containing a clause allowing him to move abroad should he receive a suitable offer.

SJK
On 26 January 2016, Eremenko moved to SJK. After just over three months, Eremenko left SJK on 4 May 2016 for personal reasons.

International career
Eremenko made his debut for the Finnish national team on 11 October 2003 against Canada. He was a key player for Finland in 2006 World Cup qualifying, scoring seven goals, four of which came from free kicks. He shared the third position among the top scorers in the group, along with Adrian Mutu, but behind Jan Koller and Ruud van Nistelrooy who both scored nine goals.

International goals
As of 15 November 2011.

Club
HJK Helsinki
 * Veikkausliiga: 2002, 2003
 * Finnish Cup: 2003

Rubin Kazan
 * Russian Cup: 2011–12
 * Russian Super Cup: 2012

Individual

 * Veikkausliiga Top assist provider: 2010
 * Scottish Premier League Player of the Month: November 2010