Vålerenga Fotball have confirmed the signing of Dennis Gjengaar from New York Red Bulls, while also digesting a narrow home defeat to Molde. The club has confirmed the 22-year-old winger has put pen to paper on a four-year contract.
Dennis Gjengaar arrives at the Oslo club after a spell in American Major League Soccer. The player, born in Horten, has previous Eliteserien experience with Odd and was sold to New York Red Bulls in 2024. He has a total of 71 appearances for the American club on his resume. Gjengaar took part in his first training session with Vålerenga last week.
He expressed great enthusiasm for the move. "It's fun to join the club with by far the best supporters in Norway!" said Gjengaar. Head coach Johannes Moesgaard is also pleased to bring the pacey player into the squad ahead of the autumn matches. Gjengaar could make his debut as early as the next match, away to Sarpsborg 08 on September 6th. Fans can follow the player's progress on the club's squad page.
Vålerenga led a wild first half against Molde but ultimately ended up with a 3-4 loss at Intility Arena. The Oslo side turned a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 lead before Molde replied with three quick goals. The game's final goal came from Carl Lange who made it 3-4 late in first-half stoppage time.
TV 2 expert Yaw Amankwah called the half one of the most frantic in recent Eliteserien history. Vålerenga captain Henrik Bjørdal was critical of the team's defensive performance at halftime. "We stand as a team poorly defensively and let them through far too easily," he said. This result leaves Vålerenga with a recent form of 0 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss, with the latest defeat recorded on August 30th.
With the loss to Molde, the pressure is on to turn the trend in the upcoming away fixture. Vålerenga's next assignment is a visit to Sarpsborg Stadion to face Sarpsborg 08 FF. That match is played on Sunday, September 6th and is an important opportunity to pick up points on the road.
The incorporation of Gjengaar gives coach Moesgaard an additional offensive tool before this important autumn period. The player's speed and running power could be a key addition as the team heads into a run of matches. The new winger's contract runs until the end of the 2030 season.
