Daniels Balodis, born June 10, 1998 (making him a sprightly 26 years old), hails from Latvia and currently anchors the defence at St Johnstone, primarily operating out of the centre-back position. The lad stands tall at 6ft 2in (1.88m) and tips the scales at 12st 3lb (78kg). The number 4 jersey is his chosen armour on the pitch, as he serves his duties not only for his club but also for Latvia on the international stage.
As per the good folks over at Transfermarkt, Balodis carries a market value of approximately €400k, which, by the Queen's currency, rounds up to a respectable £340k.
The lad made his debut in the Virslīga, the top-tier league in Latvia, with Valmiera in July 2020. However, a change of scenery was on the horizon for Balodis when he moved away from Valmiera to join RFS, another Virslīga team, in July 2024. The terms and cost for this transfer were kept tucked away in the vault.
In January 2025, the lad found himself on the move once again. This time he hopped onto a plane to Scotland and inked a deal with St Johnstone, stamping his mark in the Premiership.
Balodis' notable appearances include the Scottish Cup 2024 - 2025, where he made three starts for St Johnstone. On the international front, he took part in the World Cup Qualifiers Europe 2024 - 2026 for Latvia with two starts, the Euro Qualifiers 2022 - 2024 where he notched up one goal in five starts, and rounded off with the Nations League 2024 - 2025, making four starts and a single substitute appearance for his country.
