Back at the start of 2023 Hjalte Lærke was an unknown quantity in FC Helsingør circles. However, a strong network in Danish football and focused scouting quickly put the spotlight on the young talent, and the decision to bring him to Helsingør was also not one that needed to be considered twice.
“Hjalte has only been with us for a little over a year, during which we, through our strong network, got wind of a very talented U17 player in FA 2000. We only had to scout him in a single match to know that this was absolutely a talented player with very exciting potential. A very game-intelligent and technically gifted left-footed player, so it was not a difficult decision to bring Hjalte into the FCH Academy.” Says academy director Kenneth Rasmussen.
FC Helsingør entered into a youth contract in November with the then 15-year-old star seedling. Since his move to Helsingør from FA2000, Hjalte has impressed on both FC Helsingør's U17 and U19 teams, and even though he has since turned 16 years old, there is no doubt that the talent, performances and development are evident if you ask Kenneth Rasmussen.
“Since his start at FCH, Hjalte has had a very upward development curve and it therefore did not take long before we chose to sign a contract with him. He has maintained the good continued development and now trains mostly with U19 and has played the last couple of U19 matches. Furthermore, he has had his first training sessions with our first team.”
This has also not gone unnoticed abroad, where Hjalte has just returned after a week of trial training at the academy in Empoli, Italy. Hjalte has lived at the academy and followed daily life on equal footing with the rest of the Italian U17 team.
“At home I’m used to going to school and then training, but here I live at the academy and eat together with the team. The days are very structured, and everything is planned in advance, so you know exactly when there is breakfast, recovery, training, etc. You do have to get used to that.”
It is not just the daily life at the academy that is unfamiliar to the midfielder. The training is, as one might know from Italian football, a little more physical.
“There is a higher intensity in the game here. They also play more with long balls, whereas in Denmark we are more used to building the game from the back. And of course it is also a bit more physical - they pull a little more on the shirt here.”
Fortunately, football is still football in the end, and with an open mind and plenty of determination you can go far.
“Everything is in Italian, so it is a little challenging. Fortunately, there are other foreigners on the team who also speak a little English and can help me. Thankfully, you know many of the drills already, so it’s just about observing and giving it your all.”
Even though Hjalte has only been away for a week, and there is no talk yet of contracts and the future, it still gives a boost of confidence and motivation to build on and work even harder when training once again takes place in Danish in the familiar surroundings in Helsingør.
“It naturally motivates me to take a trip like this and test myself in different surroundings and a different environment. It is always good to be challenged in different ways, and although no one knows what the future holds, I am one experience richer and ready to continue my development back home.”
Not everyone gets opportunities like this, but the work fits into FC Helsingør's academy strategy and strong focus not only on developing talented footballers, but also whole people who can take on challenges like this, grow with them and take the learning with them moving forward.
Kenneth Rasmussen is also proud to be able to send a talented young player out into the world knowing that the groundwork is in place.
“It is with great joy and pride that we can send Hjalte Lærke on a training stay in Empoli. We have felt interest in his good performances, and it therefore came as no great surprise that we received an official inquiry from Empoli in Serie A. It is a credit to Hjalte and his hard work and dedication, as well as to all our academy coaches and their good daily work with our academy players. It will only become even more interesting to follow Hjalte and his further development after this exciting stay in Empoli.”
