Chicago Fire GM continues team's reconstruction
Chicago Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez continued his reconstruction of the team roster Wednesday when the Fire announced the signing of Armenian forward David Arshakyan.
The Fire also traded the No. 1 spot in the MLS allocation order to the Philadelphia Union for an undisclosed amount of targeted allocation money, general allocation money (about $175,000, according to a report from Sam Stejskal of MLSsoccer.com), a 2017 first-round draft pick, Philadelphia's spot in the allocation order and Philadelphia's discovery claim on an unnamed player.
Philadelphia used the top spot in the allocation order to sign U.S. national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, a New Jersey native.
The allocation money can be used to acquire more players or pay down the contracts of current Fire players.
Bedoya, 29, goes to Philadelphia via transfer from Nantes in France. The Fire was rumored to be interested in signing Bedoya, who would have been the Fire's first U.S. national team regular since midfielder Chris Armas. Armas retired in 2007 and is now is an assistant coach for the New York Red Bulls. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson has earned occasional call-ups to the U.S. squad.
Finally, the Fire traded GAM to the Colorado Rapids for 25-year-old Argentine forward Luis Solignac. In his second season with Colorado, Solignac has played 33 games with 3 goals and 4 assists.
Wednesday was the final day of the MLS summer transfer window.
The moves come less than a week after the Fire traded forward/midfielder Kennedy Igboananike to D.C. United for TAM and a draft pick. Igboananike, a designated player who remains on the Fire's books through the end of the season despite playing for United, leads the Fire in shots and shots on goal and is second in goals.
The 21-year-old Arshakyan has been playing in the Lithuanian first division for FK Trakai. Unlike Igboananike, Arshakyan is not a DP and will not collect a big salary. He is a low-risk signing with the hope for a reward to match his 6-foot-4 frame. He is signed for two years with club options for the third and fourth seasons.
"As we tracked David, we were impressed by his winning attitude and ability to score goals in a variety of different ways," Rodriguez said in a club release. "He has a very good soccer IQ, imagination and obvious size. David also expressed a keen desire to join our club in particular and to help us build a championship program."
Solignac is making just $85,000 this season, according to MLS Players Union figures, though as an international player there are factors that could skew that number.
Arshakyan and Solignac become the 25th and 26th players on the current Fire roster, the 17th and 18th brought in by Rodriguez since the GM joined the club in October 2015. Arshakyan and Solignac are expected to compete for a spot in the starting lineup alongside another summer signing, Dutch forward Michael de Leeuw. The Fire sent $50,000 in GAM to Philadelphia to acquire de Leeuw's discovery rights on May 17. The Fire used TAM to sign de Leeuw.
The Fire hasn't had much depth at forward this year, and it hasn't had much success scoring either. Chicago (4-10-6, 18 points) has scored a league-low 19 goals in 20 games and is mired in last place. The team visits Real Salt Lake on Saturday night (9 p.m., Comcast SportsNet) in hopes of ending its 35-game road winless streak.
Arshakyan will be available to the Fire after he receives his visa and the club receives his International Transfer Certificate.
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