Austin FC announced today that the Club has reached an agreement to sign Danish defender Mikkel Desler. Desler joins Austin FC on a three-and-a-half-year guaranteed contract through the end of the 2027 season, with an additional option for 2028. Desler will arrive in the United States pending receipt of his ITC visa and P- 1.
“When I first spoke to Rodolfo and he explained the Austin FC project, I knew the chance to join the Club was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” said Desler. “I’m looking forward to going to Austin, meeting my teammates and fans and playing in Q2 Stadium for the first time.”
Desler (pronounced “mick-kell dess-ler”) arrives in Austin as a free agent signing after most recently playing for Toulouse FC. In his first season with Toulouse in 2021/2022, he was named in the Ligue 2 Team of the Year as he played an important role in helping the side win the Ligue 2 title and gain promotion to Ligue 1, level the highest level of professional football in France.
The following season, Desler and Toulouse won the Coupe de France, the country’s most prestigious cup competition, and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. He went on to play 7 of Toulouse’s 8 Europa League matches in 2023/24, scoring in a knockout round match against SL Benfica and playing the full 90 minutes of the team’s 3–2 win over Liverpool FC.
“We are very happy to welcome Mikkel and his family to Austin,” said Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. “He is a complete professional who has a lot of experience competing at an elite level in Europe, and he is sure to strengthen our options from abroad.”
In total, Desler recorded three (3) goals and nine (9) assists in 103 appearances in all competitions for Toulouse. Before joining Toulouse, Desler played for Odense BK in his native Denmark from 2014 to 2019 and Norwegian top flight FK Haugesund from 2019 to 2021, amassing over 300 appearances in his career to date.
Desler will hold senior and international designations on the Austin FC roster. Desler is the second player signed by Austin FC ahead of the summer transfer window, apart from Ghanaian winger Osman Bukari. Both Desler and Bukari will be eligible to compete for Austin starting July 18.
Transaction: Austin FC signed free agent defender Mikkel Desler to a guaranteed three-and-a-half-year contract through the end of the 2027 season, with an additional option for 2028.
Pronunciation: mick-el dess-ler
Date of birth: February 19, 1995
Place of birth: Assens, Denmark
How Acquired: Signed as a free agent.
List designations: Senior, International
