Chicago Fire sign goalkeeper Chris Brady to Homegrown deal

The Chicago Fire announced today the club has signed Academy goalkeeper Chris Brady to a Homegrown Player contract.

Brady, 16, is the fourth homegrown signing this month. Alex Monis, Javier Casas, and Brian Gutierrez all signed just before the coronavirus hiatus began.

it means the Fire now have ten Homegrowns on the roster: Brady, Monis, Gutiérrez, Casas, Djordje Mihailović, Nicholas Slonina, Gabriel Slonina, Andre Reynolds II, Jeremiah Gutjahr, and Mauricio Pineda.

He’s under contract through the 2023 season, with a club option for 2024.

“We’re excited about the quality that Chris brings at the goalkeeper position,” Head Coach Raphael Wicky said in a statement. “He’s shown at trainings this preseason that he is ready to take the next step with the first team and gain valuable experience as a professional as he continues to develop in a competitive environment.”

Brady is from Naperville, and joined the Fire Academy in 2017 after playing for Roadrunners Soccer Club in Downers Grove. Throughout his four seasons with the Fire Academy, Brady made 48 appearances, all of them starts.

“Everyone within the Academy is proud to see Chris take this next step in his career,” Chicago Fire FC Academy Technical Director Cedric Cattenoy said in an emailed news release. “He’s a talented goalkeeper and between the Academy and trainings with the first team staff, Chris will continue to develop as one of the best talents at his position.”

Chicago Fire FC

Internationally, Brady earned his first call up to the U-15 Boys’ National Team last season.

He’s now the fifth goalkeeper on the Fire first team, along with Kenneth Kronholm, Bobby Shuttleworth, Connor Sparrow, and Gabriel Slonina.