Sparta Rotterdam has signed goalkeeper Filip Bednarek on Monday. The Pole arrives on a free transfer from Lech Poznan and returns to the Eredivisie after five years.
The 32-year-old Bednarek signs for two years with Sparta, which saw Nick Olij leave for PSV earlier this month. It is unclear whether Bednarek is the intended new first goalkeeper for next season.
Bednarek was the reserve keeper at Lech Poznan for the past two seasons, which was crowned champion of Poland for the ninth time in 2025. In his first three years at the club, he was the first choice.
In the Netherlands, Bednarek was only the first goalkeeper at De Graafschap, at the second level. At FC Twente, FC Utrecht and Heerenveen he served as a reserve keeper.
“With Filip, we are bringing a reliable and experienced goalkeeper to Rotterdam-West,” says technical director Gerard Nijkamp on the Sparta website. “He knows the Eredivisie inside and out thanks to his previous period in the Netherlands, and with his stability and goalkeeping qualities, we are taking the next step in putting together our selection.”
Bednarek is the second experienced newcomer this summer at Sparta, which finished twelfth in the Eredivisie last season. Earlier, Jens Toornstra transferred free from FC Utrecht.