SC Heerenveen has signed Latvian striker Roberts Uldrikis on Deadline Day. The 28-year-old forward returns to Friesland on a one-year contract with the Eredivisie club.
Uldrikis joins from German side Arminia Bielefeld and will be presented at the Abe Lenstra Stadion. He is expected to bolster head coach Robin Veldman's attacking options. Heerenveen currently sits eleventh in the Eredivisie with five points from four matches. The team has scored five goals while conceding six.
Roberts Uldrikis will serve as a classic target man for Heerenveen. Manager Robin Veldman highlighted his physical presence. "Uldrikis is nearly two meters tall," the coach said. The Latvian will compete with other strikers in the squad, such as Dylan Vente and summer signing Lanroy Machine.
The arrival of Uldrikis means Heerenveen will not seek a direct replacement for departed midfielder Luuk Brouwers. The club focused entirely on adding an extra striker on Deadline Day. Fans can view the complete squad on our squad page.
The new attacker is no stranger to the region. Uldrikis played 88 matches for SC Cambuur between 2021 and 2024. After his time in Leeuwarden, he moved to Greece before joining Arminia Bielefeld a year and a half ago.
At the German club, the Latvian suffered a serious knee injury. He was sidelined for months with a cruciate ligament rupture. The striker has been fit for a while now and is seeking more playing minutes. At international level, Uldrikis has earned 56 caps for the Latvia national team.
The signing of Uldrikis is meant to help Heerenveen in their battle for points. The club trails league leaders AZ Alkmaar by seven points. The next fixture is a tough one, as Heerenveen hosts AZ on September 6, 2026.
The team's recent form has been mixed with a sequence of draw, loss, draw, and win. Strengthening the attack should lead to more goals and better results. The current table can always be followed on our standings page.
Heerenveen is preparing for the coming months with this signing. Uldrikis needs to make an immediate impact and create more threat in front of goal. His height and physicality are important assets, especially from set-pieces.
The club hopes the Latvian international will quickly adapt to Veldman's system. The one-year contract gives both parties the opportunity to evaluate the collaboration after this season. The next chance to see Uldrikis in action is the home match against AZ schedule.
