Chicago Fire: Grading every new signing this season

The Chicago Fire made 15 new signings this past season, with varying levels of success. Here’s a grade for each and every single one of them.

With the 2019 season all but over for the Chicago Fire, now is as good a time as ever to look back at the year that was. As always, the Fire front office made a number of changes to the team over the course of the campaign, with fifteen players in total joining the club.

Some have had more success than others, so what better than to make a report card of sorts and evaluate each and every acquisition made by the Men In Red this season. Here are the grades of the Chicago Fire’s new signings from the 2019 season.

Fabian Herbers: B

The very first deal made by the Chicago Fire ahead of the new season, Fabian Herbers was traded from the Philadelphia Union in exchange for a second-round pick in the upcoming MLS SuperDraft. It was a straightforward deal that cost Chicago little while getting them a solid professional in return. Herbers isn’t someone who can be a star at this level, but he’s a reliable option to turn to whenever the time comes. Considering how cheap he was to acquire, and how much he’s been able to do since joining the club, bringing in Herbers was an ideal way to start the offseason.

Marcelo: D

Brought in from Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon, Marcelo seemed like a shrewd signing at first. The Fire needed a center-back and Marcelo had plenty of experience in Europe. Quality on the ball and quick enough off of it, fans were excited to see him alongside Johan Kappelhof. However, Marcelo failed to adapt to his new surroundings and now finds himself stuck on the bench. He struggled to keep up with the physicality of MLS and the Brazilian isn’t good enough positionally to make up for it. His inability led to Bastian Schweinsteiger having to return to the center-back position and there’s a good chance he will be forced out of Chicago come the end of the season.

Przemyslaw Frankowski: B-

The signing of Przemyslaw Frankowski is arguably the most disappointing one due to the initial potential of the transfer. Coming in from Jagiellonia Białystok, the then 23-year-old was already a Polish international when he joined the Fire. Possessing an unbelievable amount of pace, experts were touting the move as one of the signings of the summer. Now, the deal is being looked at in a different light. Frankowski hasn’t been bad, per se, but he’s not come anywhere close to reaching the heights expected of him. His goal against the Columbus Crew last weekend was only his second of the season, with five assists to his name as well. He’s still young, of course, so Frankowski has plenty of time to come good, but all parties involved will be disappointed in his debut campaign.

Jeremiah Gutjahr: B+

The first homegrown signing of the new year, Jeremiah Gutjahr joined the Chicago Fire following four years at Indiana University. He impressed early on, becoming the club’s starting left-back for a stretch of time during the start of the season. He’s a very balanced full-back, not having many weaknesses going forward or tracking back. Gutjahr eventually found himself out of the team, but the future’s still bright for the 22-year-old, who could be a constant presence in the Chicago backline for years to come.

Cristian Martinez: C

Taken in the most recent MLS Waiver Draft, Cristian Martinez might be one of the most average players in Fire history. He was an impactful winger in the past with the Columbus Crew, but he hasn’t found as much success in Chicago. Martinez made a handful of appearances off the bench, never really hurting the team, but never doing much good either. After not playing for a while, Martinez was loaned out to the Las Vegas Lights in the USL Championship, ending his first season with the Fire prematurely.

Amando Moreno: C

Acquired via a Draft Day trade with the New York Red Bulls, Amando Moreno has had a similarly indifferent season in Chicago. He’s not gotten as many chances in the team, to be fair, only playing about 75 minutes combined in his seven MLS appearances. It’s unclear what Moreno brings to the team, or what his best position on the field even is. It’s a bit surprising that he hasn’t been loaned out either, as he likely won’t feature for the rest of the season. He is still only 23 years old and is not overly harmful to the wage bill, so there’s at least some reason for the Fire to keep him around.

Andre Reynolds II: B

He might have only played about 60 minutes this season, but Andre Reynolds II managed to impress many with the limited time he was given. Signed to a homegrown contract in the offseason, the 18-year-old made his first-team debut in the Leagues Cup quarter-final against Cruz Azul. Reynolds put in a quality shift despite Chicago losing on the night, with most Fire fans wanting to see more of the youngster thereafter. He hasn’t gotten the chance to build on that performance just yet, but he should see the field once again before this season is over. Reynolds has plenty of promise and will hopefully be a long-term answer to the problems at full-back in Chicago.

David Ousted: D+

There was hope that David Ousted would break the streak of woeful goalkeepers in Chicago. Sadly, those hopes were quickly dashed as it was clear that he was not much better than those who came before him. The club picked him up off waivers before the season started and he was immediately named the starter. The Dane was immense in the first few games of the season, having a Save of the Year candidate against the Los Angeles Galaxy. But things would soon fall apart. Ousted simply made too many crucial mistakes and was eventually dropped to the bench. The man who replaced him was much worse (who we will get to), but that doesn’t mean fans should forget how many points Ousted cost the Fire.

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CJ Sapong: A

CJ Sapong has not only been the best signing made by the Fire this campaign; he is also many people’s pick for Player of the Season. After falling out of favor with the Philadelphia Union, Chicago managed to pick him up, trading around $450,00 worth of allocation money to secure his services. He was only supposed to be a backup at first, but Sapong soon became an integral part of the team after Nemanja Nikolic’s early-season slump. Sapong scored the Fire’s first goal of the year and would go on to add another nine to his tally. His versatility has also been key. He has played through the middle, off the striker and out wide. Sapong will be 31 by the time next season rolls around but his experience and proven goalscoring record means he’ll likely still have a big role with the Men In Red.

Gabriel Slonina: B-

A tough one to judge, Gabriel Slonina has yet to play for the Fire first team. The 14-year-old signed a homegrown contract with the club in March, but is still a part of the youth academy. It might be a number of years until he makes his official debut for Chicago, but it’s nice to see the front office tie down a prospect with potential for the foreseeable future.

Nicolas Gaitan: B

When Nicolas Gaitan signed for the Fire, it was seen as one of the biggest deals in the club’s recent history. He had plenty of experience at the highest level, featuring on the international stage while also playing a number of Champions League games. Since then, the Argentine has been very good, especially on certain occasions, but he’s never been consistently great. That means he’s fallen short of the lofty expectations set for him, which may seem harsh but is natural given his pedigree. Gaitan is still a level behind the production outputs of those at the top of MLS, like Carlos Vela, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Josef Martinez. For a player of his world-class capabilities, four goals and nine assists is a disappointing return. Then again, it is still his first season in the league. Gaitan will have the chance to really light things up next time around if he stays in Chicago.

Francisco Calvo: B

He might be a player that divides opinion, but Francisco Calvo does bring a lot to the table and has improved the Fire ever since joining. The Costa Rican arrived via a trade with Minnesota United after issues with club manager Adrian Heath and has been able to mostly put those issues behind him. Calvo is not a perfect defender, of course, and has made a few errors since coming to Chicago. He does bring a lot of heart and hustle onto the pitch, however, motivating his teammates to be better than they were before. Also, Calvo adds a new threat going forward on set pieces, already scoring three goals. A former MLS All-Star, fans will hope he can reach those same heights once again with the Men In Red.

Kenneth Kronholm: F

Words cannot truly describe just how poor Kenneth Kronholm has been this season. Coming in to replace the aforementioned Ousted in goal, the German has been a mistake waiting to happen every time he takes the field. He can’t catch, pass the ball, or even come off his line at the right time. More akin to a human lowlight reel, it’s insane to think that he will likely start for the rest of the season. Kronholm has, simply put, been a complete failure.

Jonathan Bornstein: A-

Not much fanfare surrounded his arrival in Chicago, but Jonathan Bornstein has been a key part of the Chicago Fire’s late-season surge. Immediately slotting in at left-back, the former US international has brought some much-needed experience to the backline. It’s no coincidence that the Men In Red have had less defensive miscues since he came into the team. It is a shame Bornstein will be turning 35 at the end of the year, meaning he’s not got much left in the tank. However, even if he’s not playing consistently, he can become a great mentor for younger players to learn from.

Michael Ariza: B-

The most recent acquisition, Fire fans haven’t gotten the chance to see much of Michael Ariza. He has only featured in four games for the Men In Red, with two of those appearances coming off the bench. Getting him in a trade with the Montreal Impact, Chicago haven’t really gained much by adding Azira. He’s a solid option to turn to in the midfield, but he is also already 32 years of age, so he won’t be useful for long. He doesn’t make dumb mistakes though, and that’s all the Fire fans can ask for in a new player at this point.

So there you have it, the season grades for the Chicago Fire new signings. All in all, it is a slightly underwhelming group, especially considering the lofty expectations many arrived at the club with.