Official: Otto Ruoppi to join Mainz next summer

Mainz 05 confirmed the signing of Otto Ruoppi from KuPS before giving him back to the Finnish club on a loan deal.

Finnish U21 international Otto Ruoppi will join Mainz starting from the summer after the Bundesliga club completed the transfer on the deadline day from Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS). The 20-year-old will now end the season with the Veikkausliiga champions on a loan deal.

According to Transfermarkt, Mainz parted ways with €1.3 million for the signature of the attacking midfielder. Ruoppi celebrated his 20th birthday on Saturday, but he has already played 98 times for the first team of KuPS. In total, he has played in 64 competitive games in 2025.

That includes 14 appearances in all three European competitions this season. KuPS were eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League, but they entered the playoff stage of the Conference League, where they will face Lech Poznań. While Mainz will compete to keep their Bundesliga status, Ruoppi will be ready for the upcoming new season with KuPS.

“With Otto Ruoppi, we were able to sign a promising Finnish top talent for us. We are looking forward to a midfielder who is composed with the ball and a goal threat at the same time.” said Mainz’s sporting director Niko Bungert.