Aug 20, 2019; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis MLS ownership group leader Carolyn Kindle Betz talks to guest and media after a expansion team was announced for St. Louis at The Palladium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2019; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis MLS ownership group leader Carolyn Kindle Betz talks to guest and media after a expansion team was announced for St. Louis at The Palladium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis CITY SC announced the signing Thursday of Brazilian forward Joao Klauss as the 2023 expansion club’s first-ever Designated Player.

He is currently on loan at Belgium’s Sint-Truidense V.V. from the German Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Klauss, 25, has also played professionally in Finland and Austria.

“As a coach, it’s always good to have a quality striker on your team and Klauss is a player that is also willing to do the dirty work defensively,” St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell said in a release. “We are excited to welcome Klauss to St. Louis and help make this city his home.”

St. Louis joins MLS as the league’s 29th team next season.

–Field Level Media