Fire signs Nigerian forward from Swedish club
The Chicago Fire began rebuilding its roster Tuesday when team officials announced the signing of designated player Kennedy Igboananike.
The 25-year-old Nigerian-Swedish forward had 8 goals and 3 assists across all competitions last season for Swedish club AIK, according to Transfermarkt.com.
In international play, Igboananike has taken the field for Nigeria's U-20 team, scoring six times in 11 matches.
"Kennedy is a dynamic goal scorer with a track record of producing," said Fire coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop in a statement released by the club. "He's young and exciting, a player with incredible pace, and we look forward to adding him to our roster to bolster our attack."
Reports from England say he also received interest from Queens Park Rangers and Southampton.
Igboananike joins a Fire team that placed ninth in the Eastern Conference, scoring 41 goals in 34 matches. Quincy Amarikwa was the Fire's leading scorer in 2014 with 8 goals. The Fire has had only three players reach double figures in goals since 2003.
The Igboananike signing is expected to be just a first step for Yallop and technical director Brian Bliss as they remake the roster. The Fire has just 14 players on its roster, not including loaned-out forward Juan Luis Anangono, who is not expected to return. Other than Anangono, the 5-foot-9 Igboananike is the only DP on the roster.
Last month the Fire declined 2015 contract options on 11 players, including veterans Bakary Soumare and Gonzalo Segares. Homegrown player Victor Pineda is out of contract, and the loan deals for Grant Ward and Benji Joya expired. MLS teams can have a maximum of 30 players on their roster.
The Fire also announced The PrivateBank will be the club's new official bank and sponsor of the club's new indoor soccer facility on the North Side of Chicago as part of a multiyear agreement. The facility will be known as The PrivateBank Fire Pitch.
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