What DP-Forward Teemu Pukki Brings to MNUFC, with Insight from Vilfort Park’s Toke Theilade

Finnish international Teemu Pukki made his MN United FC debut on Saturday night, subbing on in the 56th minute of the 4-1 loss to Austin FC at Allianz Field. While the Designated Player is a common name to followers of the Premier League and the Euros, he is not exactly a household name in MLS circles — especially in a transfer window that was dominated by Messi. But by the number, his signing makes sense, and his style is an exciting addition to a club that has quickly gone stale despite the return of Emanuel Reynoso.

To better understand what Pukki brings to ‘Finnesota’, NSJ talked to Toke Theilade, Editor-in-Chief at VilfortPark.dk, an outlet dedicated to Danish club Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening (or Brøndby IF). While Theilade’s focus is the Danish club, he has followed the forward’s career both before and after his time at Brøndby IF and offered some insight beyond the raw numbers.

The first criticism of this DP acquisition may be Teemu Pukki’s age. Regardless of past scoring prowess, MNUFC has a poor track record with both young and veteran forwards who were marketed by the club as scoring solutions so marketing a 33 year-old of any caliber can be a tough sell for anyone who has been following the club’s MLS tenure. Theilade allays these concerns.

“Teemu Pukki has always been a serious and dedicated person, and I don’t think his age should be a problem,” Theilade told NSJ. “He doesn’t have the speed he once used to, but he has never been overly relying on his pace anyway, so he should still be able to do a good job. He’s a smart and hard working player, and I would expect him to do really well in the MLS. He is also the kind of player that can lead and inspire his teammates, which he’s done for all his previous clubs as well as the Finnish national team.”

We saw a spark of that leadership and inspiration on Saturday when Pukki entered in the 56th minute (alongside fellow newcomer Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and Devin Padelford), with Austin FC up 3-0 and the Loons on the back foot for a solid half hour before the changes were made. Pukki registered two attempts on goal in the 60th minute, connecting first with a ball from Emanuel Reynoso (his effort blocked), then forcing a save by Brad Stuver with a left-footed shot on a ball from Bongokuhle Hlongwane, all within the 18 yard box.

Prior to the match, Theilade described this style and drive of Pukki’s: “He is a striker with excellent finishing skills. He’s lethal in front of goal and is still relatively fast. He’s technically good, and can dribble past defenders when needed. He’s also a smart player with great positioning, especially in the penalty box, and with a good eye for his teammates. He always contributes with a nice amount of assists on top of all his goals.”

Pukki made 164 appearances for Brøndby across four seasons (2014/15 – 2017/18), tallying 72 goals and 23 assists, before going on to become Norwich FC’s front-man where he scored 88 goals and 29 assists in 210 appearances. Through that time, he also became Finland’s leading scorer in international play, tallying 38 goals in 112 senior appearances.