TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
St. Louis CITY SC have signed former Swiss international goalkeeper Roman Bürki from German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund ahead of their 2023 MLS expansion launch, the club announced Wednesday.
Bürki, who signed through 2025, will join St. Louis CITY in July after the completion of Dortmund's season.
“We’re delighted to have a top international goalkeeper like Roman joining St. Louis CITY SC,” sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said in a release. “His international experience will be a huge benefit for our club. He’s a player that has proven himself throughout his career and has played on the biggest stages in world football like the European Champions League.
“He will play an important role on our roster by providing leadership to our young and exciting team. As a former goalkeeper myself, I know how important it is to have a leader on and off the field and we have found that in Roman. He is a modern goalkeeper, who is great with both feet, brilliant shot-stopper and brave coming off his line. Roman’s playing style fits perfectly into our philosophy and we’re thrilled to have him as a pillar of our ambitious club.”
The 31-year-old has spent the last seven years with Dortmund, making 232 appearances for the Bundesliga club. Prior to that, Bürki competed for Germany's SC Freiburg and Switzerland's BSC Young Boys and Grasshopper Club Zürich, among others.
Internationally, Bürki has nine caps with the Swiss national team, his last appearance coming in a friendly against Japan in 2018.
“Everyone at the club is excited to have Roman join the team,” head coach Bradley Carnell said in a release. “He’s a player that needs no introduction and we’re all looking forward to welcoming him to St. Louis.”
Bürki is the fourth player signed ahead of St. Louis’ inaugural season in 2023, with forward João Klauss their first Designated Player. Bosnian national team left back Selmir Pidro and Czech Republic youth international midfielder Tomáš Ostrák have also been signed.
