The Chicago Fire have signed midfielder Gaston Gimenez to a new contract, opening up a Designated Player slot on the roster ahead of the 2023 MLS campaign.
The 30-year-old’s new deal kicks off in January, extending his time at the club through the 2025 season.
The Paraguay international also received his U.S. Green Card earlier this year and will no longer occupy an international roster slot.
“Gaston is a talented player who is very important to the club,” Chicago sporting director Georg Heitz said in a release. “His decision to restructure his contract to provide the team with more roster flexibility speaks volumes about his character and desire to win titles with the Fire.”
The player first arrived in 2020 from Argentine side Vélez Sarsfield, joining with a DP contract. He’s seen a difficult start to his MLS career, tallying two goals and six assists across 65 appearances while failing to make the playoffs. The player has been recovering from a right hamstring surgery since late August, adding to Chicago’s 2022 struggles.
The new contract leaves the Fire with Xherdan Shaqiri and Jairo Torres as the only two Designated Players, opening up opportunities during the transfer window.
The team will be looking for new reinforcements after concluding the 2022 MLS season in the lower half of the table once again.
Credit: 90min.com
