Eetu Vertainen should be a big hit at St Johnstone, according to one of his former team-mates in Finland.
And Ex-Inverness Caledonian Thistle goalkeeper Antonio Reguero believes the Perth side will be getting their answer Andrew Shinnie, if the deal gets completed as expected.
Reguero played with the Finnish under-21 international at HJK Helsinki and has predicted club and player will be the perfect match in Scotland.
“I played with Eetu last season and against him the season before that,” he said. “I was very impressed.
“He will be well suited to Scottish football. He is tall and quite physical so the game over there won’t be any trouble to him. St Johnstone seems a good place to go.
“Technically he is very good. His best position is as a number 10 but he can also play on the wing.
“Eetu scores goals but also helps to make them too.
“If you asked me to compare him to someone, he reminds me a bit of Andrew Shinnie who I played with at Inverness.
“He is taller than him and probably stronger, but he has the same kind of attributes with the ball – very skilful with his feet and he knows how to score goals.
“Eetu will fit in well at St Johnstone.”
Reguero – who spent four years in Scotland with ICT, Ross County, Kilmarnock and Hibs – doesn’t think acclimatising to the Premiership will be an issue.
“The league in Finland is a good standard so it won’t be too much of a step up for him,” said the Spaniard.
“There will be things he will have to get used to, like the pace of the game and how physical the defenders can be.
“But he’s technically very good and has lots of size.
“He played with the biggest club in Finland. He’s played in Europe and played for the Finland under-21s, so he has a lot of experience for a 22-year-old.
“I am sure the Finland manager will be watching him closely in Scotland and if he does well he will get a call-up for the full squad.
“The Finland team qualified out of the groups at the Euros but they are always looking for young players to come through.
“For sure, Eetu will be on their list for the next round of games if he starts well.”
Stepping stone to England
With time on his side to develop, Vertainen’s club career will continue on an upward curve, according to Reguero.
“He is very focused and wants to do the best he can,” he said.
“Ultimately Eetu will want to play in England so moving to a club like St Johnstone in Scotland is a good way to achieve that.
“There is a lot of focus on the SPFL so if you are scoring goals then teams will take notice.
“But in the short-term he will concentrate on doing his best for St Johnstone and establishing himself there.”
