The Chicago Fire are on a redemption mission in 2020 having missed out on the playoffs for a second straight season last year, and the recent signing of Luka Stojanovic could be an under-the-radar hit.
The club announced on Thursday that Serbian midfielder Stojanovic had joined from Cukaricki and signed a contract at Soldier Field through 2021, with the option to extend that deal by another season.
The 26-year-old won’t take up a Designated Player slot and arrives in a crucial area of the park, with Bastian Schweinsteiger having retired during the off-season and Nicolas Gaitan leaving for French outfit Lille. Coach Raphael Wicky has also lost midfield options in the likes of Aleksandar Katai, Diego Campos and Cristian Martinez, each of whom declined to extend their stays at the club.
Wicky praised his latest recruit: “Luka is a highly intelligent player with experience from competitive leagues in Europe. In addition, he is a very versatile player who can create and score goals for the team. We are very excited to have Luka on our roster going into the 2020 season.”
Stojanovic may not be a star name, but the former Sporting Lisbon recruit has proved a consistent scorer in his native division the last two years, according to a spokesperson of TopNJSportsbooks.com, sports betting website.
He netted 12 times in 25 total appearances for Cukaricki last season, including a 90th-minute winner against Partizan Belgrade in October, as well as a consolatory strike in a 3-1 defeat to Red Star Belgrade, Serbia’s other great capital powerhouse.
Having netted 11 goals from midfield in the season prior to that and now entering his prime years, Stojanovic promises to only provide upside after joining for $500,000, which could prove a bargain fee.
