TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Chicago Fire FC have acquired defensive midfielder Gaston Gimenez from Velez Sarsfield for an undisclosed transfer fee, the club announced Monday. Gimenez will be added to the roster as a Designated Player and become the club's third such addition this winter. Giménez will be added to the Fire’s roster as a Designated Player pending a medical and receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa. He is under contract with the Fire through the 2021 season with a club option for the 2022 season.
Gimenez, 28, has spent his entire career in his native Argentina, most recently with Velez for a year-and-a-half. During that time, he made 42 appearances with the club.
“We are thrilled to acquire a player with the quality of Gaston Gimenez,” head coach Raphael Wicky said in a club statement. “Gaston has a great left foot and is very gifted in the technical and physical aspects of the game. In addition, his humility and desire to always give his best for the team will fit in very well with the culture that we are establishing here at the Fire. I am looking forward to welcoming him to Chicago and having him be a leader on our team.”
Gimenez began his youth career with Almirante Brown before breaking into the first team and scoring four goals in 88 appearances from 2011-14. He also enjoyed stints at Atletico Tucuman, Godoy Cruz and Estudiantes. At the latter two clubs, he made 11 appearances in the famed Copa Libertadores.
He picked up one senior cap with the Argentine national team back in 2018.
Gimenez is the latest big acquisition of the Fire's offseason, following fellow DPs in forward Robert Beric and winger Ignacio Aliseda. The club have also added key players such as midfielder Alvaro Medran, defender Miguel Angel Navarro, midfielder Luka Stojanovic and others during a busy winter.
