Austin FC signs Ukrainian footballer to shore up its defense

Austin FC will welcome three new players next month, and the help can't come soon enough.

Why it matters: The Verde and Black haven't been able to win consistently since charging to the Western Conference Finals in 2022.

• Austin FC is in eighth place in the Western Conference. They have won just one of their last six games.

Driving the news: Ukrainian center back Oleksandr Svatok will join Austin FC as soon as next month, the team announced Monday.

• Austin signed the 29-year-old to a three-and-a-half-year guaranteed contract through the end of the 2027 season, with an option for 2028.
• Ghanaian winger Osman Bukari and Danish defender Mikkel Desler also signed with the team ahead of the summer transfer window. All three players will be eligible to play for Austin beginning July 18.

State of play: Svatok plays professionally in his hometown of Dnipro, Ukraine, and is currently representing the Ukrainian national team in the Euro 2024 tournament.

• Ukraine next faces Belgium on Wednesday.

What they're saying: "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," Svatok said in a statement.

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