Career
Virtanen played with Turun Palloseura in Finnish Veikkausliiga between 2004 and 2006. He transferred to Udinese in the summer of 2006, at age of 18, signing a five year contract. On 23 December 2006, Virtanen became the fifth Finnish player ever to play in Serie A, when he was substituted in for the last three minutes against Air Corps Milan.
Virtanen has also two Finnish teammates at Udinese, Roman Eremenko and Jarkko Hurme.
In 2008 he was loaned to Sorrento then Football Club Khimki. In 2010, he played for Football Club TPS and their reserve team Åbo IFK before moving to Jackie Joyner-Kersee Jyväskylä in July.
Virtanen then moved to RoPS on a one year contract.