Bürki also keen to recruit Reus to St. Louis, Charlotte FC file "discovery rights"
A potential Missouri move for Reus is nevertheless complicated by budgetary constraints hampering the relatively new American franchise and the "discovery rights" mechanism in place in the American League.
While an firm decision on German footballing legend Marco Reus' future will almost certainly not come until after the 2023/24 Champions' League Final on June 1st, there are more signs that the 34-year-old may be preparing to join German footballing administrator Lutz Pfannenstiel in St. Louis. Former Dortmund teammate Roman Bürki - among the first of Pfannenstiel's recruits to the expansion franchise - revealed that he had been trying to recruit Reus too.
"I keep sending him messages, we're always in contact," Bürki - as quoted by transfermarkt's German home site - told "blue Sport", "But we're also not a club that spends a lot of money. we're at the bottom of the salary scale."
Transfermarkt also reports that another MLS expansion team has filed a contract offer so as to claim "discovery rights" to Reus. The mechanism aims to prevent bidding wars among clubs in the American League and ensure parity in the franchise-based system. Transfermarkt reports that Charlotte FC filed for "discovery rights" ahead of other clubs.
A fee of approximately $50,000 would be due to the North Carolina franchise if another MLS franchise wishes to claim him. Online sports journal "the Athletic" confirms the report of Charlotte's filing.