Klein signing boosts Aussie contingent at St Pauli
Another Australian is on his way to St Pauli after Brisbane Roar central midfielder Sam Klein signed for the Bundesliga club for an undisclosed fee.
Klein, who also has Norwegian citizenship, will join up with Socceroos stars Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe at the Hamburg-based club next season, ending his spell at A-League side Brisbane Roar.
"I’m really looking forward to joining FC St Pauli and getting to know my new team-mates," Klein said.
"A different country and a new league. The club has successfully integrated and developed international players, especially from Australia, on several occasions in recent years.
"The management have outlined an exciting prospect for me, which is why I’m convinced this is the right move for me.
Klein, who is already in Germany soaking up the northern hemisphere summer sun, admitted it was hard to keep a lid on his excitement after he found out he'd been signed.
"When I heard I tried to keep it cool, I was quite excited, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I still had games left with Brisbane, so I made sure I focused on my own football," he said.
"Meeting the sporting director and manager made the excitement grow. Definitely something I'm very eager for."
Klein, 22, spent three years at Brisbane from January 2021, playing initially for the under-21s.
After a spell with Gold Coast Knights, he returned to Roar in September 2024 and became a first-team regular.
He has made 45 A-League appearances, scoring nine goals and providing one assist.
He has also played twice for Australia Under-20.
St Pauli coach Alexander Blessin can't wait to start working with the latest Aussie in his ranks.
“Sam has exciting attributes that allow him to play various roles in central midfield," Blessin said.
"He brings a mix of good anticipation, vision and accurate passing and likes to go for goal as well. Defensively, he creates opportunities to win possession with his aggression and bravery in the challenge and thanks to his height he’s also a factor in the air.”
Pauli's director of sport Andreas Bornemann also highlighted Klein's versatility as a key factor in the club's desire to bring him to Hamburg.
“We’re delighted to welcome a highly versatile player who’ll give us significantly more options in midfield," Bornemann said.
"Sam is effective both with the ball and defensively, and after two seasons in Australia’s top flight, during which time he became a key player for Brisbane, we’re confident he’s ready to take the next step and establish himself at FC St Pauli.”
