St. Pauli signs New York City midfielder James Sands on loan for six months, with an option to extend until 2026

St. Pauli officially announced on Wednesday that it has loaned James Sands from New York City FC until June 30, 2025. According to New York City FC, St. Pauli can choose to extend the lease for one year under certain conditions.

At the same time, Sands confirmed that he has completed the contract extension with New York City . The new contract will be extended by one year on the basis of the original one, until December 31, 2028.

The 24-year-old James Sands was born in New York, USA, and mainly plays as a defensive midfielder or central defender. He came from the New York City youth training and made his professional debut on September 16, 2017 as a substitute for Andrea Pirlo.

So far, Sands has made 143 appearances for New York City FC, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists, winning the 2021 MLS Championship with the team. He also played for Glasgow on loan from January 2022 to March 2023. Rangers, during which time he made 41 appearances and scored 1 goal, winning 1 Scottish Cup with the team.

St. Pauli currently ranks 14th in the Bundesliga with 4 wins, 2 draws and 9 losses, and has 14 points, only 4 points ahead of the relegation zone. They therefore have high hopes for the arrival of Sanz, including St. Pauli sports director Andreas Bo. Neiman said: "James Sands has an exciting combination of physicality and ball skills. Another positive is that he can play both as a defensive midfielder and a central defender. As he has played in top European leagues, we believe he can play in the middle of the park. He was able to adapt quickly to the club and the Bundesliga ."

St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessing added: "James is an intelligent player. He has a deep understanding of the game and can find constructive solutions under pressure with his solid technique. His anticipation helps him He's been able to make many interceptions in defence and put pressure on opponents quickly. He's shown those qualities both in the United States and in Scotland."

James Sands said: "St. Pauli is a club that New York fans are familiar with, but I obviously need to familiarize myself with the team's style of football and the philosophy behind it. The club's top management has very convincingly explained the club's goals and the role I can play. It will be a great challenge for me to join one of the strongest leagues in Europe and I am really looking forward to it.”