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Roman Bürki has been a fan favorite for St. Louis CITY SC fans since he was signed on March 16th, 2022, ahead of CITY's inaugural MLS campaign in 2023. The Swiss goalkeeper is more than just a brick wall in the net -- he has sported the captain's band, leading the club with his experience and leadership both on and off the pitch.
In 2023, Bürki earned MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors, helping St. Louis to top the Western Conference in the regular season. Even despite the struggles this season in 2025, Bürki has performed well; he is the only St. Louis CITY SC player to earn a Player of the Matchday honor this season (week 3).
It is no doubt that fans and analysts alike would want him to stay in St. Louis. The question is: is it possible?
Let's take a look.
The Situation
Roman Bürki's contract, signed in 2022, runs through December 31st, 2025. The club has no options, meaning they cannot opt to activate another year onto this contract; they will have to offer him an entirely new one, leaving the leverage in the 34-year-old's hands. The original contract was a Designated Player (DP) deal with a guaranteed compensation of $1,657,469, but ahead of the 2025 season, his contract was migrated to a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) contract. This did not change his salary, as he makes the maximum salary possible for a TAM contract, but did free up a DP slot.
The goalkeeping room includes second-string netminder Ben Lundt, who performed well for St. Louis when called up due to Bürki's fractured hand earlier this season. At third-string is Christian Olivares, who has featured in preseason friendlies and many CITY2 matches.
Rumors
Any time the best player in the league at any position is nearing potential free agency, the rumor mill will always get to turning.
Roman Bürki's personal life--including his girlfriend--is leading many to believe Chicago Fire FC seems like a realistic move. Our northern secondary rivals do in fact have a DP slot open, so it is not impossible.
Other "rumors" have been whispered, albeit none of them credible, to a move back home to the Swiss Super League.
Other folks have mentioned the possibility of a summer move, but that is pretty much guaranteed to be out of the question unless a club is willing to significantly overpay St. Louis for him.
What Should CITY Offer?
St. Louis CITY SC's Sporting Director, Lutz Pfannenstiel, is in a good situation to try and retain Roman Bürki. No good football club lets their captain walk easily. CITY could migrate back to the DP model in the winter offseason, opening a DP slot, and subsequently offer Bürki a new contract.
The maximum non-DP salary rises every year, and is expected to rise again in 2026; this means that CITY can offer Bürki a pay raise, but maintain the security option of buying his contract down to TAM level should they want to bring in another DP.
Finally, the duration. Bürki is 34, and would be 35 in the 2026 campaign. Brad Guzan of Atlanta United is a good example of the fact that goalkeepers tend to be able to play in good form later into their careers than field players. Regardless, I would err on the conservative side on this contract, knowing that his age could eventually lead to a decline in his play. I would also include a club option for this reason, letting CITY keep control over the situation rather than potentially being stuck with an overpaid, underperforming goalkeeper--though, to be honest, I think Bürki will age just fine, and this won't pose an issue.
So, if I were Lutz, here's what I would offer: 2 years with 1 club option year at $1,803,125/yr guaranteed compensation; Designated Player.
This leaves one, very important question on the table.
Would Bürki Accept?
I have reason to believe the answer is yes.
He will have been here for 3+ years and would remain the highest paid goalkeeper in the league. He has gotten a taste of the playoff atmosphere in this town and knows this team's biggest obstacle is health. The uncertainty in coaching and ability to win any hardware could certainly be a turnoff, but I truly believe he will want to stay with the ship he has been captaining -- and the one that can pay him the best. If a team offers some behemoth of a contract, things may change, but for now, I think Roman Bürki is most likely to stay with St. Louis CITY SC.