Background
Mäenpää was born in Espoo, Finland where he played for the local youth team Football Club Kasiysi before moving to HJK youth team
Mäenpää was born in Espoo, Finland where he played for the local youth team Football Club Kasiysi before moving to HJK youth team
Remote Control Lens
He started his senior career at Lens Reserves in 2003. During winter 2006 transfer window, he joined Telstar on loan until the end of the season. He didn"t feature in any Ligue 1 match in the first team of Remote Control Lens.
His contract with Lens expired on 30 June 2006.
Football Club Den Bosch
During summer 2006, he joined Dutch Eerste Divisie side Football Club Den Bosch on a free transfer. He made his breakthrough in season 2006-2007 when he played 27 league matches.
He made a total of 67 league appearances during 3 seasons. His contract with Football Club Den Bosch expired in summer 2009.
Willem II
In summer 2009, he joined Dutch Eredivisie side Willem II on a free transfer, making 18 league appearances.
He left Willem II on summer 2011, by terminating his contract after they got relegated to Eerste Divisie. Arizona Alkmaar
On 3 October 2011, he joined Arizona Alkmaar on a free transfer on a contract until the end of the season, joining compatriot and team captain Niklas Moisander. However at Arizona, he found himself demoted to third-choice, behind Esteban Alvarado and the veteran Erik Heijblok.
He left the club after only one season, without making a single appearance for the Arizona"s first team
VVV-Venlo
On 29 May 2012 it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a three-year contract with fellow Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo. The fans voted him as best Venlo player of the season 2013-2014.
In the summer of 2015 Niki Mäenpää left VVV Venlo on a free transfer after his contract expired
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 6 July 2015 it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a contract with English side Brighton & Hove Albion following his release from VVV-Venlo. Mäenpää was 18 years old on 1 April 2003 when he debuted in Finland´s youth team in a match against Sweden in Malmö.
He played his first game in Finland national under-21 football team 30 March 2004 in Corradino in a match against Malta.
He gained 13 caps in Finland U21-team He made his debut for the Finnish national team on 2 June 2008 in a friendly match in Veritas Stadion, Turku against Belarus when Stuart Baxter chose him to the starting line up. He played one of his best games in March 2013 when Finland got a surprising 1–1 away draw against Spain in the 2014 World Cup qualifying.