Josef Bursik, born on 12 July 2000 in Stoke-on-Trent, England, is a goalkeeper for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian. Standing at 6ft 1in (1.87m) and weighing in at 12st 1lb (77kg), Bursik sports the number 1 jersey.
Starting his career in July 2016, Bursik joined AFC Wimbledon in England's League Two as a trainee. A year later, in July 2017, he moved from AFC Wimbledon to Stoke City in the Championship. Whilst an official fee was never disclosed, it became a new chapter in the young keeper's journey. His initial appearances for Stoke City were promising, with Bursik making 15, 19, and 16 first-team appearances in the 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023 seasons respectively.
In search of regular game time, Bursik embarked on several loan spells. His first stop was Accrington Stanley in August 2019, before returning to Stoke City in June 2020. Subsequent loan stints at Doncaster Rovers and Peterborough United in the 2020 season provided invaluable experience. His final loan spell in England was in May 2021, with Lincoln City in League One.
January 2023 marked the start of a new adventure for Bursik as he transferred to Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League, once again for an undisclosed fee. After a year and a half in Belgium, he made a move to Scotland, joining Hibernian on loan in July 2024.
Within the current 2024-2025 season, Bursik has made 13 first-team appearances in league matches for Hibernian. Additionally, he has started four times in the League Cup 2024-2025 games for his current club.
While Bursik's football journey has seen a range of highs and lows, and numerous location changes, it is undeniable that his abilities as a goalkeeper have developed significantly. The future looks bright for this English goaltender.
