Giménez in "Advanced Negotiations" to Leave Fire

Gastón Giménez could leave the Chicago Fire this week, according to various reports out of South America. Sources confirmed to MIR97 Media that an exit is very possible, and while negotiations are advanced, nothing is complete yet.

The possible departure was first reported by Paraguayan journalist Daniel Maciel, who shared on social media that Giménez was close to a move to the Asunción-based club Cerro Porteño. Maciel said that the move would be completed in the coming hours and that only details had to be sorted out. Other outlets from Paraguay and Argentina also reported interest from Cerro.

As Giménez still has one year remaining on his current Fire deal, a departure would most likely necessitate a contract buyout or mutual termination. MLS clubs may only use a full buyout once per season, and while the Fire are yet to use theirs this offseason, it is likely something they may prefer to hold onto for now. A mutual termination – similar to Xherdan Shaqiri’s departure that saw him join FC Basel in the summer – remains on the table and would release Giménez from the remainder of his Fire contract.

In this case, a departure would first be negotiated with the Fire. Sources told MIR97 Media that these must be completed before any serious talks with other clubs will be held, despite numerous proposals from overseas. While nothing is yet decided, a move away remains highly plausible at this stage as Giménez’s camp is in advanced discussions with the Fire.

For the Fire, a move would open up a Designated Player slot, as Giménez currently occupies one despite a TAM-level salary. This would mean that the Fire could have up to two open DP slots for the new Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter to bolster the squad. Hugo Cuypers is currently the team’s only other DP.

Cerro would not be able to formally complete the transfer until the Paraguayan transfer window opens on January 1st. The 37-time league Primera División champions finished 2nd in this fall’s Clausura and have been the only team to break the duopoly between Libertad and Olimpia in the past decade. Giménez, a 9-time Paraguay international, would move to the country for the first time in his career, having spent all of his time in Argentina prior to arriving in MLS.

Read more:

https://meninred97.com/source-xherdan-shaqiri-chicago-fire-agree-to-mutual-termination/