Thursday saw the New York Red Bulls officially announce the transfer of star defender John Tolkin to Holstein Kiel of the Bundesliga — the top flight of Germany and one of the largest soccer leagues in the world.
AmNewYork first learned of the move on Wednesday from a source with direct knowledge of the situation. It brings an end to the 22-year-old’s 10-year run with the franchise, which began as an academy product in 2015.
“John Tolkin has been a great role model for our young players for the pathway he has taken to get to this point, and he has meant a lot to our organization,” Red Bulls head of sport Jochen Schneider said. “He has been an outstanding player and person for our club over the last 10 years, and we appreciate everything he has done for the club. It’s great to see that a player who joined us at a very young age made his way from our academy to our first team and is now joining a Bundesliga club. We wish him and his family all the best in the next chapter of his career.”
Tolkin quickly rose through the Red Bulls’ ranks toward stardom, spending the last four seasons with the first team. He made 114 MLS appearances, scoring seven goals with tallied 12 assists. His 17 career assists across all competitions are a franchise record for a defender.
He played an integral role in New York’s run to the Eastern Conference title in 2024, providing the assist on Andres Reyes’ game-winning goal against Orlando City to lift the club to its second-ever MLS Cup Final appearance. He made 28 league appearances in total and started each of the Red Bulls’ five playoff matches.
In 2023, he set new franchise records for most assists by a defender in a single season across all competitions with 10, and he recorded the most assists by a homegrown in a single season across all competitions, passing current US men’s national team captain Tyler Adams, who had nine in 2018. He became just the second homegrown player ever to be named to the MLS All-Star team.
His play has caught the attention of the US men’s national team. He represented the U-23 side at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and was called up to his fourth senior team camp earlier this month. The transfer, however, has forced him to depart that camp in Florida as he heads over to Germany.
Tokin joins a Holstein Kiel side that currently sits in the relegation zone in 17th place within the 18-team Bundesliga even after defeating powerhouse Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
