Chicago Fire Announce Jonathan Bamba Signing
The Chicago Fire have completed the blockbuster signing of French-Ivorian winger Jonathan Bamba, the club announced this morning. Bamba will be a Designated Player and arrives as one of the most exciting additions of the MLS offseason so far.
The move was finalized yesterday after an agreement was reached in principle between the clubs last Thursday.
“I’m very happy to join the Chicago Fire at such an important moment for the club,” said Bamba. “The direction the team is heading, both on and off the field, is very exciting, and I’m looking forward to contributing to its future success. I’m ready for this new challenge and can’t wait to work with my new coaches and teammates to achieve great things together.”
Bamba, who most recently spent one-and-a-half seasons with mid-table La Liga club Celta Vigo, arrives in what is reportedly a cut-rate $2 million deal. That's still a profit for Celta, who signed the now-28-year-old on a free transfer in 2023, even though his market value had been €20 million at the time (Transfermarkt). Bamba scored just six goals and added nine assists in 42 appearances for Celta, though his most recent contributions came against Real Madrid in what would be his final game in Spanish football.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jonathan to the Chicago Fire,” said Chicago Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. "His experience, work rate, and ability to break down defenses will be a huge asset as we look to build a strong team for the upcoming season. Jonathan is a talented player who fits our values and philosophy, and we’re excited to welcome him to Chicago in the prime of his career.”
Bamba's most successful spell came with Ligue 1 club LOSC Lille, with whom he famously won a French league title in the 2020/21 season. He was a key part of an exciting attacking unit that included the likes of Jonathan David, Tim Weah, Luiz Araújo, and Jonathan Ikoné – the last of whom was also reportedly a Fire target prior to Bamba's signing. Bamba previously made 31 appearances for France's youth teams, scoring nine times. Since switching his international allegiance to Côte d'Ivoire, he has become an African champion, winning the 2024 African Cup of Nations in thrilling fashion.
The Fire's pursuit of a DP left winger has been no secret this offseason. In addition to Bamba and Ikoné, the club reportedly bid for Auxerre's Gaëtan Perrin and, later, Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. in one of the most shocking transfer stories of the winter. With Bamba now secured, the Fire can shift their full focus to adding a central midfielder, the team's other main priority at this stage of the offseason. The Fire have one DP slot open, though they could also opt to forego signing one and instead add an extra Under-22 Initiative player.
With this club's announcement this morning, Bamba becomes the Fire's ninth first team signing of the offseason, following David Poreba, Jack Elliott, Omari Glasgow, Dylan Borso, Dean Boltz, Philip Zinckernagel, Sam Rogers, and Leonardo Barroso. They have also signed Sam Williams and Olu Oyegunle to MLS Next Pro deals. The first team currently has three remaining open slots on the senior roster, and none open on the supplemental roster.
As the Fire's second DP, Bamba will stand alongside Belgian center forward Hugo Cuypers as one of the club's top two earners. While terms of Bamba's contract were not disclosed, it's safe to say his salary is probably in a similar ballpark to Cuypers' earnings, which total just over $3.5 million annually (MLSPA).
Though Bamba can play in a variety of attacking positions, his primary role is on the left side, and that is where he is set to feature for the Fire. His dynamism and one-on-one dribbling ability will be great additions to the Fire's attack, which has lacked consistency from its wingers in recent seasons. Bamba favors his right foot, making his ability to cut inside off the left a great attribute.
Presumably, Bamba's presence on the left would enable Brian Gutiérrez to play in his preferred #10 role through the middle, with Maren Haile-Selassie and Philip Zinckernagel competing for minutes on the right side. Out-of-form winger Chris Mueller remains the odd man out of the lineup, particularly if supplemental roster options like David Poreba, Omari Glasgow, and Dylan Borso can push for rotational minutes themselves.
Read more:
https://meninred97.com/sources-chicago-fire-finalizing-jonathan-bamba-deal/
https://meninred97.com/sources-chicago-fire-neymar-reps-met-in-london/
https://meninred97.com/fire-sign-leonardo-barroso-from-sporting-cp/
