TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Chicago Fire announced on Friday they have signed 14-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina as a Homegrown player. Slonina is the youngest Homegrown signing in league history and the second-youngest player signed to an MLS contract, behind only Freddy Adu.
Slonina, a native of Addison, Ill., has played for Chicago's academy at the U-14, U-15 and U-17 levels and is under contract through 2022 with a club option for the 2023 season.
“Obviously, we believe that Gabriel has high potential,” said Chicago Fire Soccer Club president and general manager Nelson Rodriguez in a team statement. “While we would always prefer not to sign players at such a young age, a convergence of factors made his signing at this particular moment the right course of action for everyone. We will be patient and deliberate in advancing Gabriel’s development while ensuring he retains some normalcy as a teenager.”
Slonina, who holds both US and Polish citizenship, has played for the US national team at the U-14 and U-15 levels.
He is expected to serve as an understudy for the time being, as he continues to grow in all facets. David Ousted was the starting goalkeeper for Chicago in their 2019 season opener.
