Jonas Knudsen

Jonas Hjort Knudsen (born 16 September 1992) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defender.

He played for Esbjerg fB from 2009 before signing with Ipswich Town in 2015. He is known for his long throws and in Denmark his throws have been compared to Rory Delap's.

Club career Esbjerg fB In November 2009 he signed his first professional contract with Esbjerg, and following the winter break of the Danish Superliga, he made his professional debut in a 0–4 home loss against Randers FC, becoming the second youngest Esbjerg debutant ever second only to Andreas Sørensen who made his debut aged 16 years.

Following the departure of Kevin Conboy to NEC, Knudsen established himself as the first choice left back for the club. In the 2012–13 season, the Esbjerg team finished fourth in the Danish Superliga and won the Danish Cup, and Knudsen was given a new contract in April 2013.

Ipswich Town Knudsen signed for Ipswich Town on 31 July 2015 on a three-year deal. He debuted for the club on 8 August 2015, in a 2–2 draw with Brentford. He scored his first goal on 19 April 2016, scoring a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Fulham at Portman Road. He went on to make 43 appearances during his first season at Portman Road, scoring once. He scored his first goal of the season on 10 April, netting the winner in a 1–0 home win over Barnsley. Knudsen took on the captain's armband for the final few games of the season, following injuries to club captain Luke Chambers. He made 44 appearances during the season, scoring once. He kept his place in the team once again, featuring as a first-team regular throughout the season. In January 2019 he informed the club that he would not be signing a new contract, and he was released at the end of the 2018–19 season following the expiration of his contract. Despite rejecting a new contract, Knudsen posted a farewell message on social media, thanking the fans for their support during his tenure.

Malmö FF On 20 June 2019, Knudsen signed for Swedish club Malmö FF on a free transfer. He made his debut on 21 July 2019 in a 1–1 draw with IK Sirius.

International career Knudsen has represented Denmark at various youth levels. He made his senior international debut as a substitute in a 1–0 friendly win over Sweden on 28 June 2014. On 17 June, the Danish squad allowed Knudsen to fly home to meet his newborn daughter, as the Danish squad clubbed together to pay for a private flight as a paternity present for their team-mate. Following his return to Russia, he made his first and only appearance of Denmark's World Cup campaign on 1 July, starting and playing the full 120 minutes as Denmark drew 1–1 with Croatia, before exiting the tournament on penalties after extra time, with Knudsen playing his part in creating Denmark's opening goal following a long throw into the Croatian box.

He was included in Denmark's squad for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, featuring in the Dane's 0–0 draw with the Republic of Ireland in the group stages on 13 November 2018 at the Aarhus Idrætspark, Aarhus.

Career statistics

Club

Honours Esbjerg fB Danish Cup: 2012–13 Danish 1st Division: 2011–12