“Trailblazer” Justin Reynolds embarking on Lugano loan

Ever since Chicago Fire owner Joe Mansueto purchased FC Lugano in 2021, the synergy between the two clubs has reaped benefits for both. Homegrown defender Justin Reynolds will complete his short-term loan move to the sister club in the Swiss Super League, writing a new chapter in the relationship and presenting the fullback with an exciting and unique opportunity overseas.

Reynolds, 19, is viewed as one of the top prospects in the Fire organization. He signed a homegrown contract before last season and played with the second team in MLS Next Pro in 2022 and 2023. When it was clear that immediate MLS minutes would be hard to come by, and with Lugano lacking quality at right back, it was a no-brainer to give him the opportunity to head across the pond on a loan basis.

“They just told me they feel as if this is a good moment in my development to really be playing first team minutes and getting experience,” Reynolds said, after having had to wait a few weeks for visa approval to fly to Switzerland. “I'm young, so maturity is a big thing for me to develop as well as on the field.”

Reynolds added that the opportunity to step outside his comfort zone will be huge in his growth in various ways. He has never been to Switzerland before, has only just downloaded Duolingo to learn Italian, but is nonetheless excited to swap Lake Michigan for the iconic Lake Lugano.

The teenager is also the fourth transaction between Chicago and Lugano this offseason. Maren Haile-Selassie and Kacper Przybyłko went in opposite directions as permanent transfers, and right back Allan Arigoni joined the Fire on loan in a deal that opened up a spot in the Lugano starting eleven. As former Fire defender Jhon Espinoza has struggled to lock down the job in Arigoni’s absence, Reynolds has the chance to earn some important minutes in a competitive league down the stretch, and Chicago’s notable Swiss contingent that also contains national team star Xherdan Shaqiri has been helping him prepare for his spell abroad.

“I've gotten really close to all of them,” Reynolds says. Allan just recently came, so we've talked about some of the players and all that and just what life is going to be like over there. Maren, Shaq, all of them, they've been helping me.”

The Fire’s three Swiss representatives aren’t the only ones offering their wisdom to Reynolds. His brother, ex-Chicago homegrown Andre Reynolds II, never got an opportunity like this at such a young age, and advised Justin to take the chance to grow on and off the field. Upon signing his homegrown deal, the younger Reynolds took the #36 jersey of his brother, who he described as his best friend.

This move is significant for a variety of reasons. In Reynolds’ case, is that it shows that the Fire have tremendous faith in his potential. He started with Fire II as a 17-year-old, and by the end of his second season in MLS Next Pro, it was clear that he had mastered that level. While he seemingly isn’t quite yet ready to make the big jump to the first team stage, at least in the eyes of the decision-makers, Lugano – and Switzerland – represents a stepping stone and a chance to push himself in a European training and playing environment. Being outside his comfort zone in the intense European pressure cooker as the Bianconeri push for continental qualification will force him to quickly strengthen his game and prepare him for first team soccer back home.

Concerning the Transatlantic partnership between Chicago and Lugano, the loan is also a landmark moment. In the past, players who went Lugano-bound were out of the Fire’s plans, like Ignacio Aliseda and Kacper Przybyłko, who needed to come off of the books but also filled needs in Lugano’s roster. Shared analytics and advanced statistics are what motivated moves the other way, like deals for Maren Haile-Selassie, Ousmane Doumbia, and Allan Arigoni, which were in large part dreamt up on the stat-sheet as players who would fit with the Fire. Though that practice is now commonplace at the highest level, such analytics and performance metrics are among the newer innovations of modern soccer that the Fire are seeking to incorporate under Mansueto’s leadership.

Reynolds’ move is the first Switzerland-bound developmental loan of a young player since the partnership began, and it is also one that improves a point of weakness in the Lugano squad. The loan is emblematic of a shift in strategy for the Fire, who have hardly utilized such loans for their prospects in recent seasons but are now seeking to bridge the gap between MLS Next Pro and MLS with opportunities in other leagues. The visa approval process means he will only be with the club for roughly the last two months of the season, but even that limited spell in Europe can improve a player significantly.

“I'm gonna be the trailblazer, I guess,” Reynolds said. “I think that, hopefully, I can leave a great impression and many more young players will be able to follow this path to go there… we have a lot of good young players, so I think that this connection will be very positive.”