Ragnar Klavan returns to top league football

Ragnar Klavan. Photo: Jonathan Moscrop / Sportimage / Cal Sport Media / Scanpix

Estonian Premier League club FC Tallinna Kalev announced on Monday that Ragnar Klavan, the legendary 37-year-old center back who has played 129 matches for the Estonian national team, will return to the pitch in their ranks.

Klavan will join Tallinna Kalev for the second half of the Premier League season as number 15, the club said.

Klavan, who last played an official match in September last year, has been keeping in shape since January by training with Tallinna Kalev's top lineup, but has to date focused on his role as the president of the club.

Klavan said on the club's website that the process has been long, and after the last official game, he took some time to think about exactly what to do next.

"When I started training with Tallinna Kalev in January, before the start of the season, it was clear that if my body would allow it and everything else would be ok, I would like to play for Kalev," said Klavan.

Klavan can make his debut as a player of Tallinna Kalev already this Saturday, when Kalev plays Parnu's JK Vaprus at the Kadriorg Stadium at 5 p.m.

During his career, in addition to several Estonian clubs, Klavan has played for Valerenga in Norway, Almelo Heracles and Alkmaar AZ in the Netherlands, Liverpool, and Cagliari, Italy.