2024 Chicago Fire Roster Preview Part 2: Defenders
Some insight into the Fire’s 2024 defensive core.
Ahead of Major League Soccer’s 2024 season, the MenInRed97 team is previewing the current status of the Fire’s roster, and in this installment, the squad’s defense will be analyzed by yours truly. We’ll introduce you to each player, including how they joined the Fire, review their 2023 season, and go over expectations and hopes for the upcoming season.
The roster currently consists of eleven defenders, with five of those being listed as center backs and the following six being outside backs. Both were areas of major interest for the Fire in the offseason, showcased by four new additions, but the fullback position in particular has been completely revitalized as three of the four new signings were added to play on outside flanks. With that said, it’s time to dig into the roster!
Full Backs
Allan Arigoni
Key Stats
Height: 6’0” DOB: 11-4-1998 (25) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 25 Starts: 22 Mins: 1,700
G: 0 A: 1 YC: 0 RC: 0
History with the Fire: Reportedly a former Barcelona and Chelsea target, 25-year-old Arigoni joined the Fire in January 2024 from sister club FC Lugano on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
2023 Recap: The Swiss made 25 appearances, notching one assist from the Conference League. It is important to note that Arigoni played several games at center back, and on occasion also switched to the left side. Lugano sits in sixth position in the Swiss Super League, just four points out of the relegation round, however, there is only a three-point difference between sixth and third.
Key Question: Will Arigoni be the go-to starter for the Fire in 2024? Everything seems to suggest that, but injuries always change things, and seeing as living in the United States is an entirely new experience for the fullback and that he was unable to enjoy a full preseason due to the visa process, Jonathan Dean may be the go-to to start the season.
2024 Projection: Arigoni is highly likely to finish the season with around 2000+ minutes played, but he’s also likely to be deputized anywhere across the backline due to a variety of different reasons. Besides Andrew Gutman, Arigoni does have some solid attacking history. Five goal contributions may feel a bit low, but 10 feels a bit high, so he should finish his tally somewhere in that range, with assists outweighing the goals.
Andrew Gutman
History with the Fire: The former academy player returned to the Fire in a deal with the Colorado Rapids that saw former left-back mainstay Miguel Ángel Navarro go the other way alongside $450,000 in General Allocation Money.
2023 Recap: Gutman played 33 matches across three competitions for both Atlanta and Colorado, tallying five goals and two assists from 2,632 minutes. While Atlanta performed relatively well during his tenure there in 2023, something worth noting when analyzing his stats is that this Colorado side finished the regular season as the second-worst team in the entire league.
Key Question: The key question surrounding Gutman seems to be if he can help solidify a defense, and even more so a specific position, for the Fire that has been characterized by defensive errors and sloppiness following the 2017 season. Will we see any improvement on the left?
2024 Projection: It is likely that Gutman will reach 2000+ minutes played across all competitions, and start a majority of the matches he is available. In terms of goal contributions, it is hard to tell how involved Frank Klopas will want his outside backs to be in 2024, especially given the firepower added and likely to be added to the front line. Expect more of the same from Gutman in that department. He finished 2023 with five goals and two assists, so some attacking prowess is to be expected.
Arnaud Souquet
Key Stats
Height: 5’10” DOB: 2-12-1992 (32) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 31 Starts: 27 Mins: 2,229
G: 2 A: 3 YC: 5 RC: 1
History with the Fire: Signed on a free transfer from Ligue 1 outfit Montpellier HSC in early 2023, Souquet on paper appeared to be an upgrade from the outgoing Boris Sekulić, but that did not come to fruition as the Frenchman proved to be inconsistent across all aspects of his game, eventually being benched in favor of Jonathan Dean as the starting right-back.
2023 Recap: Souquet played 31 matches for the Fire, yielding two goals and three assists across 2,229 minutes. On the surface his statistics are decent, but Souquet was extremely susceptible to defensive mistakes and lapses in concentration, which often resulted in turnovers eventually leading to goals. In the last five matches of the 2023 campaign, Souquet played zero total minutes as Frank Klopas opted for other players in an attempt to clinch a playoff spot.
Key Question: During the first portion of 2024’s preseason, the right back was away from the team while pursuing his green card, and simultaneously was often linked with a move away from the club. At the time of publication, no moves have been finalized, but the acquisition of his Green Card does open the doors for an in-league trade, and with the MLS Primary Transfer window remaining open until April 23rd, nothing should be completely ruled out. That begs the question, where will Souquet be at the end of the window?
2024 Projection: If he remains at the Fire, minutes will be hard to come by given how much depth there is at outside back. Allan Arigoni is expected to take the starting spot at right back and given how the season ended, Frank Klopas likely will give priority to Jonathan Dean for rotational minutes. It's incredibly unlikely Souquet will be on the roster come the start of the season.
Chase Gasper
Key Stats
Height: 6’0” DOB: 1-25-1996 (28) Foot: Left
2023 Stats:
GP: 8 Starts: 6 Mins: 397
G: 0 A: 1 YC: 2 RC: 1
History with the Fire: Acquired in a trade with the Houston Dynamo for a third-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, Gasper should serve as a valuable depth piece for the Fire, especially given that he only occupies a Supplemental Roster spot with a contract running through the 2025 season.
2023 Recap: Gasper only made eight appearances for Houston’s senior side, with three of those coming during their Open Cup winning run, ultimately accumulating 387 minutes in all competitions last year. His only full 90-minute match came when Houston eliminated the Fire in the quarter-finals by a score of 4-1. The left back also played six matches with Houston’s MLS Next Pro side, which were not included in his 2023 stats.
Key Question: Being expected to serve almost exclusively as a depth piece, there do not seem to be any major questions surrounding the 2024 season for Gasper, especially given that MLS participation in the U.S. Open Cup is still up in the air. If participation does get confirmed though, squad rotation is expected, and in that case, can he help the Fire get past last year’s quarter-final finish?
2024 Projection: It is most likely that Gasper will play under 500 minutes for the 2024 season, primarily because of the acquisitions of Gutman and Arigoni both being able to play left-back, but also due to rotational minutes likely being prioritized for Dean. The transfer of Gasper was low cost and brings low expectations, but again, he provides great depth for a position that has been lacking in recent times.
Jonathan Dean
Key Stats
Height: 6’0” DOB: 5-15-1997 (26) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 25 Starts: 15 Mins: 1,558
G: 0 A: 1 YC: 5 RC: 0
History with the Fire: The NCAA product was signed by the Fire from the USL Championship’s Birmingham Legion in January 2023 for an undisclosed fee.
2023 Recap: Dean ended up playing 25 matches with 1,558 minutes despite seemingly being signed as a depth option. A groin injury saw him miss nine matches between May and June, but following his return to the team alongside the dismissal of Ezra Henrickson, Frank Klopas put plenty of trust in the former USL player as Arnaud Souquet fell increasingly out of favor as the starting option. In the final 10 matchdays, Dean became the clear preference on the right side as he played a full 90 minutes in six of those games.
Key Question: Will JD continue to get the minutes he saw in 2023 either as a sub or potentially even as a starter? With the ongoing Souquet saga, at minimum, substitute minutes should come easily, and potentially an early string of starts is realistic as Arigoni settles into his surroundings.
2024 Projection: Regardless of who the go-to starter is once the season gets in full swing, Jonathan Dean is likely to rack in 1500+ minutes across all competitions again, especially due to his positional flexibility. Hopefully, there will be an increase in goal contributions, but historically outside backs for the Fire have not been great at supporting their forwards, so it is hard to tell whether that is a realistic expectation. His contract also expires in December 2024, and while the club holds an option for 2025 if his performances are more of the same then a long-term deal is entirely possible.
Justin Reynolds
Key Stats
Height: 5’9” DOB: 4-8-2004 (19) Foot: N/a
2023 Stats:
GP: 26 Starts: 24 Mins: 1,981
G: 1 A: 3 YC: 2 RC: 0
History with the Fire: Signed to a Homegrown deal in 2023, Reynolds has yet to feature for the senior team, however, he has been a mainstay for Fire II in MLS NEXT Pro, playing 40 games in the past two seasons. Justin has been with the club as a youth player since 2014 and has featured for various levels of the United States Youth National Teams. Also worth noting, Justin is the younger brother of former Fire homegrown Andre Reynolds II.
2023 Recap: Justin played 26 matches for Fire II, with 24 of those being starts. The team finished sixth out of 13th in the Eastern Conference, falling to the New York Red Bulls in the first round of playoffs. Reynolds grabbed a goal and three assists from 2002 minutes played, showing a 9% increase in his average pass accuracy from 2022.
Key Question: Will Reynolds finally get time with the senior team? Outside back is a position no longer in dire need of players, but if the Fire do end up playing in the U.S. Open Cup, then minutes are entirely possible given how congested the schedule will be.
2024 Projection: Reynolds likely will not breach 200 minutes played for the Fire this season, with any minutes coming at the expense of any of the four other outside backs, almost all of whom can play on the left side. Anything over 200 will be a surprise, but certainly a pleasant one if so.
Center Backs
Carlos Terán
Key Stats
Height: 6’2” DOB: 9-24-2000 (26) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 27 Starts: 15 Mins: 1,842
G: 1 A: 0 YC: 6 RC: 0
History with the Fire: Acquired from Colombian outfit Envigado near the conclusion of the 2020 MLS season as a 19-year-old, the defender has been with the Fire ever since, often being a first-choice starter when not dealing with injury. 64 appearances and a contract extension later, it appears Terán’s time with the club is coming to an end, as the player stated in November 2023 that “Playing in Europe is everyone’s goal. [...] I believe the time has come for this step” in an interview with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
2023 Recap: Terán played in 27 matches for the Fire and garnered 1,842 minutes, also grabbing a goal in an early-season 3-2 away win in Miami. He finished tenth in minutes played for the club, which is impressive considering he missed two matches from a knock and an additional nine for a hamstring injury. If he was consistently fit, a top-three finish in minutes was entirely possible.
Key Question: Amidst his interview with Di Marzio and the passing of the major winter European window without any heavy interest (likely due to recovering from knee surgery), Terán remains with the Fire at the time of writing. Will he be gone by the summer? His replacement has already arrived in Tobias Salquist, but the Colombian did sign an extension until 2026 at the end of April. At only 23 years old, time is certainly on his side, and given that he has reached a level of fitness that allows preseason participation, Terán may be playing more than anticipated just six months ago. If that is the case, it should make a move more likely than ever when possible.
2024 Projection: Basing this estimate on a summer move, Terán should still earn about 500+ minutes before he bids the club adieu in favor of the old continent. At the end of the day, he is still a great player, and despite his head potentially being elsewhere, the defender giving his all on the pitch is in the best interest of both parties. Terán has a rough value of about $2.15 million according to Transfermarkt, and given both his age and contract length, a fee of around $3 million can be anticipated when a transfer solidifies.
Mauricio Pineda
Key Stats
Height: 6’1” DOB: 10-17-1997 (26) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 31 Starts: 22 Mins: 2,092
G: 1 A: 2 YC: 10 RC: 0
History with the Fire: A Bolingbrook native and former Chicago Fire academy player, Mauri was signed to Homegrown deal in 2020 after spending four years playing at UNC Chapel Hill, and has been with the club since then. Pineda has played 110 games for the Fire, with six goals and five assists from 7,999 minutes as either a defensive midfielder or as a center back.
2023 Recap: Pineda played 31 matches for the Fire, featuring prominently in all competitions primarily at center back. Pineda finished third in the squad for accurate pass percentage with 85.3%, finishing several matches with an accuracy of above 90%. Somehow, that was the lowest average pass accuracy from any of his four seasons with the Fire, but that in itself that should say something about his overall quality.
Key Question: With the overflow of talent at center back right now, will Pineda feature more prominently in the midfield? Given the seemingly imminent arrival of Kellyn Acosta, are minutes in the center of the pitch any more likely than they are at center back?
2024 Projection: Mauri finished 2023 with 1,566 minutes in MLS, and while that was in part due to injury, he’ll likely be in the same range of 1,500+ total in 2024. Competition in the backline will be fierce, and with Kellyn Acosta probably being a locked-in starter, that leaves only one other spot in the double pivot to vie for.
Rafael Czichos
Key Stats
Height: 6’2” DOB: 5-14-1990 (33) Foot: Left
2023 Stats:
GP: 36 Starts: 31 Mins: 2,784
G: 3 A: 0 YC: 6 RC: 0
History with the Fire: The Fire’s current captain joined the club from Bundesliga regular FC Köln prior to the 2022 season and has made 63 appearances in Chicago since.
2023 Recap: Rafa featured in 36 matches, finishing the season with the club’s second-most minutes played at 2,784, only playing fewer than Chris Brady. The German played in every match but five, with three of those missed matches being due to minor injuries. Czichos scored twice in MLS and grabbed another goal in the Open Cup, also leading the team in interceptions and percentage of won duels for defenders.
Key Questions: Turning 34 midseason, will Czichos be able to keep healthy while also maintaining a high level of performance in the least year of his contract?
2024 Projection: Rafa likely will once again be one of the few who reach over 2000 minutes, and hopefully while doing so he grabs a few more back-post goals. His total game time should be a little lower than in 2023 due to rotational reasons, but again there is no reason why it should not be relatively high again.
Tobias Salquist
Key Stats
Height: 6’3” DOB: 5-18-1995 (28) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 19 Starts: 19 Mins: 1,631
G: 1 A: 0 YC: 2 RC: 0
History with the Fire: Signed from Danish side Silkeborg IF this last winter window for a fee of €1 million, Salquist has been a long-time target for the Chicago Fire, and they finally got their man. The Dane has primarily played for Silkeborg, the club where he spent four years as an academy player, and has made 130 appearances at the senior level from two separate tenures, but has also bounced around a few other European clubs as well.
2023 Recap: The 28-year-old made 19 appearances for Silkeborg, racking in 1,631 in his half-season at the club. He typically played on the right side of a center back pairing, and most likely will be doing the same for the Fire. Salquist has a contract in Chicago through the completion of the 2025 season, with a club option for 2026 as well.
Key Questions: With the plethora of center backs at Frank Klopas’ disposal, will Salquist immediately slot into the starting XI? Like Arigoni, the Visa process did not let him slide right into preseason training, and with Carlos Terán returning to health alongside both Mauricio Pineda and Wyatt Omsberg being readily available, it may be some time before Salquist gets going.
2024 Projection: If Salquist is the starting right center back, which many anticipate he was brought on to do, then his minutes will likely be at 1500+. A total of over 2,000 in MLS is not entirely off the cards, and he is likely to be just on the rim of that total, but only one defender on 2023’s roster made the jump past 2,000, so the best bet is just for defenders it is especially difficult.
Wyatt Omsberg
Key Stats
Height: 6’4” DOB: 9-21-1995 (28) Foot: Right
2023 Stats:
GP: 13 Starts: 9 Mins: 884
G: 0 A: 1 YC: 1 RC: 0
History with the Fire: Omsberg joined the club in 2020 in a swap deal with Minnesota United which saw Raheem Edwards go the other way Omsberg has made 50 appearances for the Fire and seemed to be taking up a prominent role in early 2022 after playing a full 90 minutes in 14 of the first 15 matchdays, but a foot surgery changed any future plans.
2023 Recap: It took until the seventh matchday, coincidentally against Minnesota, for Omsberg to get any time, and the rest of his appearances were spontaneous until matchday 33, where the Dartmouth product strung together 400 minutes in the final stretch of the season. In the end, Omsberg played 13 matches for the Fire, also featuring in seven matches for the Fire II.
Key Question: With Terán still in the squad, it is unlikely Omsberg will any major minutes with the first team until the rotation is a more realistic option due to how deep the competition is in the backline. With seemingly limited game time for the majority of the season, will Omsberg extend his deal again or move elsewhere?
2024 Projection: With 884 minutes in 2023, Omsberg likely will finish between 500 and 1000 once again, primarily playing midweek league games and during cup matches. Depth at center back will be a little tight until the summer, so games with the Fire II are an option once again in order to keep fitness high, however, Omsberg’s minutes total also relies on the overall team performances in Leagues Cup and potentially the U.S. Open Cup, which are the competitions he should get the most time in.
