Jesper Karlsson, a forward primarily positioned as a left winger, was born on the 25th of July 1998, in Sweden. Currently aged 27, Karlsson is part of the Aberdeen football family where he dons the number 17 jersey. Standing 5ft 10in (1.78m) tall and weighing in at 11st 2lb (71kg), he has positioned himself as a prominent figure on the pitch.
As noted by Transfermarkt, Karlsson's current market value is approximately £3m.
Karlsson's career set sail in January 2016 when he joined Sweden's Falkenbergs FF, in the Superettan league, as a trainee. An impressive debut season saw him make 26 first-team appearances whilst netting seven goals. A subsequent transfer in January 2017 took him to IF Elfsborg in the Allsvenskan league, again in Sweden. His three seasons there from 2017 to 2020 saw him play a total of 83 matches, with a tally of 19 goals.
In September 2020, Karlsson's career took flight as he transferred to the Dutch Eredivisie, with AZ Alkmaar securing his talents for around £2.4 million. His stint at AZ from seasons 2020-2023 was marked by 89 appearances on the field and a remarkable 35 goal haul.
An upward career trajectory saw Karlsson transfer to Bologna in Italy's Serie A for an estimated £9.4 million in August 2023. Although his time there was characterised by fewer appearances and fewer goals, with only 14 appearances and a single goal between seasons 2023-2025.
An interlude saw Karlsson loaned to Lecce in Italy for the latter half of the 2024-2025 season, where he added 13 more appearances and one further goal to his record.
Returning to Bologna upon completion of his loan, Karlsson's time was brief as he was loaned to Aberdeen in Scotland's premiership in September 2025. His current season (2025-2026) finds him already gracing the field four times, with two goals to his name. Additionally, he has demonstrated his prowess in both the League Cup and the Conference League for Aberdeen, starting once in each and scoring a goal in the latter.
