It's official: Oleksandr Svatok becomes third Austin FC signing of this window
Svatok, a 29-year-old defender from Ukraine, signed to a three-and-a-half year contract with an option for an additional year, to add to a developing core.
Eighteen hours after Austin FC indicated a new signing was on the way, the club confirmed on Monday morning that Oleksandr Svatok is the newest Verde player.
The club noted, as with prior summer transfer window signings Osman Bukari and Mikkel Desler, that Svatok is signed through the end of the 2027 season with an option year for 2028. That’s another indication that Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell is anchoring the club with consistent multi-year contracts for European talent.
Per the press release, Svatok said, “What most drew me to Austin FC was the club’s ambition. There is a clear desire to compete and to build a team in which the city can take pride. That is something I want to be a part of.”
Borrell added, “Oleksandr is a defender who has consistently shown a great deal of leadership during many years with his previous clubs. He will join us off the back of competing in the UEFA European Championship and bring a physical presence to our defensive options.”
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Much of what we covered in our article yesterday, anticipating today’s announcement, also appears in the club’s press release.
With the signing, Austin now has players from 14 different nations on its first-team roster — though Jon Gallagher, originally Irish, recently gained American citizenship, and Moussa Djitté, representing Senegal, could be exiting later this week as his loan expires June 30.
The Djitté matter is even more urgent for Austin to solve because, with the Svatok signing, the club’s used its eighth and final international spot, though it’s possible to trade for an additional international spot if the club can find a willing partner.
As we touched on in yesterday’s article, it’s possible that FC Cincinnati could be such a willing partner should Matt Hedges be available for trade. We don’t know that for certain, but for now, once Svatok gets to the U.S. and acclimates, and once the summer transfer window opens on July 18, Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff will have five healthy qualified center backs to choose from — certainly more than he had in the doldrums of 2023.
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