Rwanda-Belgium centre-back Dylan Maes has completed a move to Finnish club Ekenäs IF from free agency, signing a contract that starts on 2026-03-31 and is scheduled to run until [contract end date not specified in data]. The 25-year-old joins the Ykkösliiga side after a short spell without a club, following his departure from Union Titus Petange in Luxembourg earlier in the year.
The transfer is confirmed as a free move, with no fee involved. Maes arrives with his most recent recorded market value standing at €0 during his period without a club, a notable drop from previous highs of €75,000 during his time with FS Jelgava in Latvia and Union Titus Petange. Ekenäs IF secure a 1.93m right-footed central defender who brings experience from several European leagues despite his age.
Born in Ukkel and holding both Rwandan and Belgian nationality, Maes continues his itinerant career path by adding Finland to a list of countries that already includes Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Latvia, Georgia and Luxembourg. His primary position is centre-back, and the data lists him as a defender by trade, with no indication of regular use in alternative positions.
Before becoming a free agent, Maes moved from FS Jelgava to FC Samgurali Tskaltubo in Georgia, then to Union Titus Petange in Luxembourg, where his market value dipped from €75,000 to €25,000 over the course of the 2025 season. He left the Luxembourg side for “Without Club” on a free transfer, remaining unattached until Ekenäs IF stepped in to sign him.
Earlier stages of his senior career saw him leave SK Beveren U21 in Belgium for SU Sintrense in Portugal, then progress to CF Estrela Amadora B, followed by a switch to Alki Oroklini in Cyprus. From there he moved to NK Tolmin in Slovenia, where his value rose from €10,000 to €50,000 in late 2023, underlining a period of clear development and upward momentum.
There is no match-by-match performance data, appearance tally, or seasonal stat line provided for Maes in the current dataset, and no record of recent fixtures, opponents or scorelines linked to his name. Similarly, there is no information on his caps or involvement with any national team setup, only the confirmation of his dual nationalities and club career path.
With no fee paid and no current market valuation attached to the move, Ekenäs IF are taking a low-risk decision on a defender who has consistently chosen to play abroad rather than in Rwanda or Belgium. If Maes establishes himself in the Ykkösliiga, this Finnish chapter could stabilise his career trajectory and provide a platform for his reputation and future opportunities to recover after a period as a free agent.
