The Chicago Fire acquired goalkeeper Richard Sanchez through the MLS Allocation Process on Friday, the club announced.
Chicago engineered a deal with Portland to sign Sanchez, sending the club’s natural third round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft and the No. 19 spot in the Allocation Ranking Order to the Timbers in exchange for the No. 6 spot, which they used to sign Sanchez. Should Sanchez appear in five or more games this season, the Timbers will receive the Fire's natural second round pick in the SuperDraft instead of the third round pick.
Sanchez is under contract with the Fire for the 2017 season with club options for 2018 and 2019.
A product of the FC Dallas academy and former FCD Homegrown signing, Sanchez joins the Fire after goalkeeper Jorge Bava was put on the Season Ending Injury List after he had elbow surgery on Tuesday. Bava is expected to miss six to eight months.
“With Jorge’s unfortunate injury, we were in need of adding another quality goalkeeper,” Fire GM Nelson Rodriguez said in a statement released by the club. “Richard’s experience in big matches and his familiarity with MLS were an ideal combination.”
A former Mexican youth international, Sanchez comes to Chicago after spending the last three years with Liga MX club Tigres UANL. The 23-year-old never appeared for Tigres’ first team, going on loan to Dallas in 2014 and Tampico Madero in 2016-17. He led Mexico to the U-17 World Cup title in 2011 and played all four matches for Mexico at the 2013 U-20 World Cup.
