Kazakhstan Premier League side Kyzylzhar have signed Faroe Islands forward Johannes Bjartalid, the OBOS League Player of the Year in 2023. He becomes the first player from the Faroes to feature in the Kazakh top flight — and the island nation the 100th to be represented in the league. The contract runs until the end of the current season.
The arrival of the 29-year-old was unexpected. Supporters had been expecting the imminent announcement of another striker — well-known Senegalese forward Moussa Konaté, who had been training with the club for several days. Still, the door remains open for Kyzylzhar to sign Konaté as well, given the lack of proven high-level centre-forwards in their squad. Bjartalid himself is a versatile attacking option, comfortable on either flank, as a withdrawn striker, or even in central midfield.
He has played for only three clubs. He came through at Faroese powerhouse Klaksvík, where he spent eight professional seasons, became the attacking leader, and recorded 120 goals and 50 assists in 259 appearances in all competitions, including European fixtures. He won three league titles, lifted the Faroese Cup and Super Cup, and was named the country’s Footballer of the Year.
In 2023 he moved to Norway, joining second-tier side Fredrikstad in the OBOS-ligaen. The move was seen as a deserved step up — and he delivered immediately. In 28 matches he scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, was voted the league’s best player, and helped his team secure promotion.
The following two seasons in the Eliteserien, however, were disrupted by injuries. Over that spell Bjartalid managed just 28 league appearances, with one goal and six assists. Even so, Fredrikstad went on a remarkable cup run, winning the Norwegian Cup, with Bjartalid featuring prominently — including playing the full 120 minutes in the final and converting his penalty in the shoot-out against Molde.
Last year he also appeared in European competition. In the Europa League Fredrikstad were eliminated by Denmark’s Midtjylland (1–3, 0–2), despite a goal from Bjartalid, while in the Conference League they were edged out by Crystal Palace after two tight games (0–1, 0–0).
At the end of 2025, the club opted not to extend his deal. The view among supporters and analysts was consistent: when fully fit, Bjartalid remains one of the squad’s standout players, but persistent injury issues over the previous two seasons made him too big a risk for a club operating on a tighter budget. That calculation ultimately proved decisive.
Bjartalid himself was open to new opportunities and did not hide his interest in continuing his career abroad — whether in Norway, Denmark or elsewhere. The tone surrounding his exit was respectful: he is widely credited with helping Fredrikstad achieve promotion and lift the national cup.
On the international stage, Bjartalid has experienced both the hardships of underdog football and some notable highs with the Faroe Islands. He was part of their strong World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, in which the Faroes shocked Montenegro and the Czech Republic before narrowly missing out on a play-off place. Overall he has earned 40 caps, scoring three goals.
Notably, his most recent international appearance came against Kazakhstan. Starting in central midfield, Bjartalid played 78 minutes as the Faroes claimed a shock 1–0 victory. It was Bjartalid’s cross from the flank that led to the decisive goal — a recent example of his delivery from wide areas.
Stylistically, Bjartalid stands out for his vision, passing range and technical quality. He is a regular penalty-taker, effective on set pieces, and renowned for his work rate. He isn’t quick over short distances, but covers ground well.
Kyzylzhar themselves are undergoing a period of transition. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the club collected silver and bronze medals, but fortunes later dipped, including several seasons in the second tier before returning to the Premier League in 2019. Since then the Petropavl-based side have flirted with the top three and even reached European competition, though without major success, finishing ninth in each of the last two campaigns.
Ambition, however, remains intact. The club is currently in the process of privatisation, with shares being acquired by businessman Sergey Kan. The process is expected to be completed by 2028, but there is a strong sense that the incoming ownership would like to see tangible progress as early as the upcoming season.
The team continues to be led by well-known Serbian coach Milić Čurčić. Several new signings have already arrived, including Bulgarian defender Plamen Galabov from Dundee, Serbian holding midfielder Damian Krajisnik, and experienced Ukrainian international Yevhen Makarenko. Further additions are expected — and Moussa Konaté could yet follow.
