Jesper Karlsson was born on 25 July 1998, making him 27 years old at the time of writing. A native of Sweden, he currently plies his trade up front for Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen, albeit typically on the left wing. He stands at 5ft 10in (1.78m) and weighs in at 11st 2lb (71kg). Back in Sweden, fans of his prior identity would know him as the man behind the number 17 jersey.
Karlsson's current market worth is approximately £3.5m if you get your rates from Transfermarkt.
Karlsson took his first step in professional football with Superettan side Falkenbergs FF back in January 2016. He managed an impressive tally of seven goals in 26 appearances in his debut season, prompting a bid from top-tier side IF Elfsborg only a year into his tenure.
During his time at Elfsborg, the forward displayed considerable consistency across four seasons, culminating in an 11-goal run in his final year at the club in 2020. It wasn't long before foreign scouts picked up his scent, and in September of the same year, Dutch Eredivisie outfit AZ parted ways with approximately £2.2m to secure his services.
Once again, the Swede continued to show his scoring prowess in Netherlands, scoring 35 goals in a three-year spell. An offer was soon on the table in from Italy in August 2023, with Serie A team Bologna reportedly willing to part with roughly £8.5m for Karlsson.
Unfortunately, his time in Italy started on a sour note, resulting in only one goal in two seasons at Bologna before he was shipped off for a loan spell at Lecce. Upon returning to Bologna, he found his fortunes hadn’t improved much. However, Aberdeen seemed willing to offer him another chance, securing his services on loan in September 2025.
For the Aberdeen faithful, the loan move seems to have paid off, with Karlsson already having netted five times in 14 appearances this season. Outside of the league, the number 17 has already tallied one goal in six starts in the Conference League and appeared once in the League Cup, showcasing a potential return to his old scoring prowess.
