New York City FC have completed the signing of free agent Andraz Struna, pending receipt of his P1 Visa.
Struna left Scottish Premier League outfit Hearts earlier in the summer and signs a contract with NYCFC which will run until the end of the 2017 season, with option years for 2018 and 2019.
A 28-year old Slovenian international, Struna has featured primarily at right-back in a career which has seen him play in his homeland, in Poland and in Greece, before his move to Scotland in January 2017.
Struna told NYCFC.com: “For me, it’s a great pleasure to sign here for New York City FC.
“There are many reasons why I’m glad to be here, such as the club having a solid foundation and giving me the opportunity to work with great experts.
“This is a big thing for me because I think I can learn a lot from the likes of Patrick and all of the experienced people at the club.
“My goals are always tied to team goals, so I want to do the best I can for the team. Of course, I’m also excited to live here in New York and to have this experience.
“I have a good opinion about MLS – it’s popular in all parts of the world and it’s getting better and better all the time. What I expect is to find is good football, great atmospheres in nice stadiums with a lot of fans.”
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Struna has represented Slovenia at international level on 25 occasions since his debut in 2012, scoring one goal in a Euro 2016 qualifier vs. San Marino.
A powerful, strong defender with good technical attributes, Struna believes he can suit Vieira’s style of play and contribute immediately to his new team.
Struna continued: “I don’t like to talk too much about myself but I can say that I am a fan of technical football. I like when the team has a lot of possession and plays combinations. I think I can fit into this style of football – it’s what I like and I think I’m able to do this.”
For his new Head Coach Patrick Vieira, Andraz will add to his options in the backline going into the final eight games of the MLS Regular Season and, hopefully, beyond.
“We’re entering a really important stretch of the season and I’m pleased that we were able to bring in Andraz at this stage to strengthen our squad,” Vieira said.
“Andraz is an experienced international defender, I’m looking forward to working with him on the training field.”
