TULSA, Okla. – FC Tulsa announced on Wednesday the club had signed left-footed Spanish center back Ruxi ahead of the 2023 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

The 27-year-old arrives in Tulsa having spent the previous two seasons in Finland’s top flight with AC Oulu and FC Inter Turku. Ruxi proved durable for both clubs as he made 70 appearances and scored four goals across all competitions over those two seasons, including starts in both of Inter Turku’s UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifiers in July last year.

“FC Tulsa and the USA are the perfect environments for me to continue progressing as a player, coach, and person,” said Ruxi. “I think we share the same ambitions and ideas between myself, the club, and the coaching staff and I’m really excited to join the club. I’m sure we will get along very well.”

Ruxi became one of Finland’s most dominant defense forces when he signed with Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat in 2020. He played a crucial role in FC KTP’s first-division promotion with two goals and an assist in 29 appearances. Following the 2020 season, he finished second in the league’s Defender of the Year voting.

His terrific season drew the eyes of Finland’s top division, the Veikkausliiga, and Ruxi signed with AC Oulu in 2021 before joining FC Inter Turku in 2022.

Prior to his time in Finland, Ruxi began his career with Spanish side Gimnástic de Tarragona in 2016 before being loaned to UE Olot and then returning to Gimnástic de Tarragona in 2017. With Gimnástic, Ruxi was once included in the squad for a La Liga 2 match and would conclude his time with the club as a 2017 Catalonian Cup champion. Ruxi also played with Spanish side Club Rápido de Bouzas in 2018 as well as SD Formentera in 2019 before signing with Icelandic club UMF Afturelding in 2020.