Chicago Fire signs 16-year-old goalkeeper from Naperville

Posted March 24, 2020 1:00 am

Orrin Schwarz

The Chicago Fire again dipped into its academy for a first-team player Tuesday, signing 16-year-old goalkeeper Chris Brady of Naperville.

The 6-foot-3 Brady signed through the 2023 season with a club option for 2024.

Brady becomes the Fire's 19th homegrown signing and the sixth since the end of last season. He joins fellow Naperville resident Alex Monis in signing with the first team.

There are 10 homegrown players now on the Fire roster, including 15-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina of Addison, who continued to play with the Fire academy teams after signing last year. The roster also includes veteran goalkeepers Kenneth Kronholm, Bobby Shuttleworth and Connor Sparrow.

"We're excited about the quality that Chris brings at the goalkeeper position," coach Raphael Wicky said in a club news release. "He's shown at trainings this preseason that he is ready to take the next step with the first team and gain valuable experience as a professional as he continues to develop in a competitive environment."

The MLS season is suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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