It’s official: Chicago Fire sign winger Ignacio Aliseda

Chicago Fire FC announced today the signing of winger Ignacio Aliseda, 19, via a transfer from Superliga Argentina club Defensa y Justicia.

Aliseda will occupy a Young Designated Player spot for the team, pending a medical and receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and Visa.

It’s a four year deal that puts Aliseda under contract through 2023.

“Ignacio is already such an impressive player despite being only 19-years-old,” Fire coach Raphael Wicky said in the release announcing Aliseda’s signing. “He is very quick and technically gifted and has a great mentality. We’re very excited to add Ignacio to our roster and we expect him to be a key contributor for us moving forward.”

Aliseda primarily plays on the left wing, but he can attack from the right, as well.

MLS is encouraging teams to take a shot on young stars like Aliseda. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, MLS can limit the compensation of a team’s third designated player, unless that player is 23 or younger. In that case, there is no limit. That said, Grant Wahl reported today the league may scrap that rule after all.

Right now, Aliseda is one of two designated players under contract, the other being new forward Robert Berić. The team is expected to fill the third spot soon.

Aliseda has spent the past two seasons with the Defensa y Justicia, making 38 appearances across all competitions. In 2018, when Aliseda was just 18, he made 19 appearances for the club, and helped Defensa y Justicia finish second in the Superliga Argentina.

In his second season, he made 18 appearances during the first half of the 2019-20 campaign. He has two caps for the Argentina U-23s, as well.

Aliseda will occupy an international slot on Chicago’s 2020 roster.

We wrote a piece last week on what to expect from the winger on the field. Are you excited about Aliseda? Let us know in the comments.