HAMBURG, Germany — Midfielder James Sands from the United States has officially moved to Bundesliga club St. Pauli on a six-month loan deal from New York City FC, as announced by both clubs on Wednesday.

The German outfit has the option to extend the loan arrangement to keep the 24-year-old Sands until the end of the 2025-26 season, as confirmed by the Major League Soccer team.

This marks Sands’ second period in European football, having previously spent just over a year with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. He joined Rangers on loan in January 2022, where he made a total of 41 appearances across all competitions for the Glasgow side.

He has represented the U.S. national team 13 times. Expressing his eagerness for the new challenge, Sands noted, “Moving to one of the strongest European leagues is a big challenge for me and one I’m very much looking forward to,” during St. Pauli’s announcement coinciding with the opening of the January transfer window.

St. Pauli secured their promotion to the Bundesliga after clinching the title in the second division last season. Currently, the team is positioned 14th in the 18-team league standings.

Andreas Bornemann, the sporting director of St. Pauli, shared his thoughts on Sands, stating, “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 defense.”

Prior to his move to Germany, Sands extended his contract with New York City FC, which will now run until December 31, 2028, as revealed by the MLS team.