Stefan Johansen, a Norwegian footballer born on 8 January 1991, currently runs the midfield for Sarpsborg 08 - an unenviable task that suits his 5ft 11in (1.82m) and 12st 3lb (78kg) frame. He spends his days leading the charges, bedecked in jersey number 10.
Our boy Johansen began his professional career with Bodo Glimt in the Eliteserien of Norway in 2009. It appears he was eager to rise from the bench, making five appearances in his debut season, followed by 18 more the following year.
His restless ambition bore fruits, resulting in a transfer in 2011 to Stromsgodset, another club in the glorified Eliteserien. His tally of first team appearances and goals scored grew steadily over the successive years: 13 appearances one goal in 2011, 27 appearances three goals in 2012, and mirroring 27 appearances with four goals in 2013.
And then, in January 2014, it happened - the call from Scotland, from Celtic, who shelled out around £2m for his services. It was during these years at Celtic that he truly flourished. He had brought his shooting boots too, scoring two goals in his first half-season, and then upping his game tremendously with 9 goals in the 2014 - 2015 season. There was a dip in his goal scoring in the 2015 - 2016 season to just one, but such is life.
Johansen’s next destination was Fulham in England. He set sail not for riches, but for experience, in August 2016 for an identical transfer fee of £2m. His time in the Premier League was marked by seasons of plenty interspersed with seasons of scarcity, running the gamut from 36 appearances and 11 goals in his first season to a mere 12 appearances with no goals in the 2018 - 2019 season.
To clear his head, Johansen decided to slip down to the Championship with West Bromwich Albion in 2019, on loan. His stay was brief but, it seems, satisfactory, with 2 goals struck in his 12 appearances. The grass wasn't necessarily greener at Queens Park Rangers, where he moved in 2021 on loan first, and then permanently for around £630k. His performances waxed and waned, if appearances and goals are any indicators, but then that's football.
In 2023, a mystery club ("the approach was from an unidentified club," according to Transfermarkt, source link) managed to pry him away, and he disappeared from our radar until he resurfaced at Sarpsborg 08 in Norway in February 2024. Brushing off any stereotypes about prodigal sons, Stefan has since made 22 first team appearances and scored four goals in the current season, not mean stats in anyone's book.
Predictably, Stefan Johansen's career has been as captivating as a midweek reserve match in the rain. If nothing else, the man's got resilience in spades, bouncing around clubs quicker than a rogue football at a local park. Good for him, keeping us all entertained.
