Bajan winger Thierry Gale has joined Austrian club SK Rapid Wien on a four-year deal from Georgian side FC Dila Gori.

The 21-year-old will wear the number 16 jersey for the Austrian side and is now the most expensive Barbadian footballer ever after Rapid Wien paid BDS 1.7 million for his services.

“I am coming from a rather atypical footballing country and have always had to work hard for everything in the past. I’m all the happier that the performances I showed didn’t go unnoticed by the club officials at SK Rapid,” Gale said.

“Rapid is a big club that has an international reputation and is also known far beyond national borders due to its incredible following. It’s the biggest transfer of my young career so far and I’ll do my best from day one to repay the trust placed in me with good performances,” he added.

Gale started his professional career in 2020 for Hungarian club Budapest Honved before moving to Dila Gori in 2022.

The winger scored 12 goals in 35 appearances for FC Dila Gori over the last two seasons.

Gale made his debut for Barbados in 2018 and has two goals in nine games.