Arrives from BVB
St. Louis City SC have signed Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki. First reported by Transfermarkt on Monday, the Major League Soccer expansion side confirmed the deal on Wednesday morning. Bürki will join the club in July and play for the club’s MLS Next Pro side St. Louis City SC 2 for the rest of the year. The goalkeeper has signed a contract until 2025 and will not be a Designated Player (DP).
“We always said from day one that we want to build a spine,” St. Louis City SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt. “It was important for us to get our key positions and have them play and gel together. After analyzing the North American goalkeeper market for 18 months, we came to the decision to sing an experienced foreign goalkeeper, a leader who is a role model for young players. We spoke to a few goalkeepers, but I have known Roman Bürki for a long time, and when I realized we could get him, it was a no-brainer.”
Despite having offers from the likes of Galatasaray and Bayern Munich, Pfannenstiel stressed that Bürki needed little convincing to make the move to Major League Soccer. “He wants to be on the field,” Pfannenstiel said. “Roman is in the best goalkeeper age, and I believe that he will be a top keeper in MLS. I always said that we want to build a legacy and not buy a legacy. The arrival of Bürki underlines this message.”
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Roman Bürki not a Designated Player – Will play in MLS Next Pro
The financial were another aspect. Bürki will not be a DP and play for significantly less than the €5 million he earned at BVB. That leaves the club two more DP slots ahead of the 2023 season. “Maybe we will sign one, maybe not,” Pfannenstiel said. “For me, it is just a label anyhow. I want the right players who fit exactly into our playing philosophy and core values. Factors like age, position, and mentality are essential, but having a good character and being a modest, hard-working part of a team is priceless in building a completely new roster.”
Pfannenstiel made it clear that the new players will join the club and play MLS Next Pro. As for new signings, the focus will be on foreigners and on completing the spine, which indicates that a defender could be next. “We are simply not able to act right now on the domestic market as all interesting players are under contract in MLS,” Pfannenstiel said. “That keeps our focus for the summer on the South American and European market. We have four of our eight foreign spots signed, which gives us a few more opportunities to go for something if it is the right fit.”
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