FC St. Pauli

Sands, 24, is a product of the New York City youth academy and made the transition to the senior squad in 2017. He has made 143 appearances in all competitions for the club to date, scoring one goal and providing two assists. From January 2022 he spent just over a year at Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, making 28 league and cup appearances and gaining international experience in 13 Champions League and Europa League outings. Sands has also played 13 times for the United States men's national team.

Reaction to the deal

Director of sport Andreas Bornemann: "James Sands offers an exciting mix of athleticism and footballing ability. Another positive aspect is that he can be deployed both in central holding midfield and central defence. As he has already played at a higher level in Europe, we believe he can quickly acclimatise to the club and the Bundesliga."

Head coach Alexander Blessin: "In James we're getting an intelligent player who has a very good understanding of the game and finds constructive solutions under pressure thanks to his sound technique. His defensive anticipation helps him to make lots of interceptions and quickly exert pressure on opponents. He has demonstrated these qualities both in the US and during his spell in Scotland."

James Sands: "FC St. Pauli is a club known to soccer fans in New York, too, but I obviously had to familiarise myself with the idea behind the way the team plays football. The officials made a very convincing case about the ambitions the club has and the role I can play. Moving to one of the strongest European leagues is a big challenge for me and one I'm very much looking forward to."

Photos: FC St. Pauli