F.C. Copenhagen sign Alex Král

F.C. Copenhagen can confirm the signing of Czech midfielder Alex Král.

The 28-year-old arrives in Copenhagen with solid experience from the Bundesliga, La Liga and Premier League, where he has played for Schalke 04, Union Berlin, RCD Espanyol and West Ham.

Král is also a regular in the Czech national team. He has 48 international caps, and featured in Czech's European Championship squad in 2021.

"I am proud to be joining F.C. Copenhagen, a club I have of course followed for a number of years, and which always manages to leave its mark on European football. I know that the club has had a difficult season, but that only makes me even more motivated to contribute to the team's comeback," says Král.

"I know that expectations are high in Copenhagen, and that appeals to me. I have always performed best when there is something at stake, and I will give everything to lift the team. I look forward to proving what I can do in the Superliga, and it is my dream to play in the Champions League."

Král began his football education at Slavia Prague – the club where he had his big breakthrough and which subsequently earned him a move to Spartak Moscow. He is known for winning duels, clearing up in front of the defence and reading the game well. At the same time, he acts as a link between defence and attack and covers a very large area of the pitch.

“I am always ready to go the extra mile and do the ‘dirty’ work that is not always noticed. I want to be the player that my teammates can rely on in the difficult periods of a match,” adds Král.

F.C. Copenhagen’s Director of Football, Kristjaan Speakman, says of the reinforcement: ”Alex comes with considerable experience from several of Europe’s top leagues and has 48 international caps. It has been clear in our conversations that he has a strong performance mindset, and that is a quality that we believe will create value both on and off the pitch.

"On the pitch, he has a different profile than our current players, and at the same time Alex has the ability to play several positions in the team. This makes him an important reinforcement for us. He will naturally take on leadership responsibilities, and most importantly, he is very motivated to come to the club."

Tactical understanding and leadership qualities
Head coach Bo Svensson is also keen to see Král on the training pitch.

"I am looking forward to working with Alex. He has strong leadership qualities, he always goes to the front foot and inspires his teammates," says Svensson.

"I see him as a player who can give us stability and tie our game together - defensively and offensively. Alex can go straight in and make a difference right away."

Král has already joined his new teammates and will train for the first time on Friday 17 July.