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Borussia Dortmund keeper Roman Burki to join new MLS club St. Louis City

St. Louis City SC announced the signing Wednesday of Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki to a three-year contract.

No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which runs through the end of 2025.

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Burki, 31, will join the 2023 Major League Soccer expansion club this July at the end of his Bundesliga season at Borussia Dortmund.

"It was an honour to have played for this great club for seven years in total," said Burki, who won two German Cups with Dortmund in 2017 and 2021. "I'm a big fan of U.S. sports and I'm really excited to be able to help build something in St. Louis, at a club that's in development."

In an interview with ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, St. Louis sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said: "Off the field [Burki is] actually a quiet guy, a calm guy. But when he comes on the field, he has a very, very clear approach as a goalkeeper. He likes to be commanding in the box. He likes to speak. He likes to give nice commands out from the back. So he's verbal and very clear in his language and in his motivation and his kind of appearance to other players.

"Off the field, he's more quiet and gentle. This is the kind of leader I expect. He doesn't need to be a loudmouth in the changing room to be a good leader. Being a good example, and the other boys will follow you is much more important than playing that role of a very loud, verbal leader. Talking a lot on the field when it's important, then you lead by example in the changing room is even more important."

Burki has been with Dortmund since 2015, totaling 83 clean sheets in 232 appearances.

Before that, he played for Germany's SC Freiburg (2014-15) and the Swiss clubs Grasshoppers and Young Boys.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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