Chicago Fire signs 17-year-old Andre Reynolds II to Homegrown Contract
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Via Chicago Fire) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club has signed 17-year-old Academy product Andre Reynolds II.
The defender is the Fire’s 12th Homegrown Player signing in Club history. Reynolds, a native of Chicago, is under contract through the 2022 season with a Club option for the 2023 season.
“I’m extremely excited and blessed to be able to play for the Chicago Fire,” said Reynolds. “Having been a fan for years and coming up through the Fire’s youth system, it has always been a dream of mine to represent the crest on a professional level. I am ready to continue giving everything I have for this Club and look forward to playing alongside a great group of guys.”
Reynolds joins the Fire’s first team after spending the past four seasons (2015-18) with the Club’s Academy in Chicago, competing in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) league. Throughout his four seasons in the Academy, Reynolds has made 89 appearances (87 starts), scoring nine goals as a defender.
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“We believe there is quite a bit of promise in Andre’s game,” said Chicago Fire Soccer Club President and General Manager Nelson Rodriguez. “He has many of the qualities required in the modern back. We will work to simultaneously refine those qualities while adding more elements to his game as we help Andre achieve his potential.”
At the international level, Reynolds was recently called in to the U-19 U.S. Men’s National Team, participating in the team’s domestic training camp in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., from Jan. 4-13. Reynolds is one of 20 players from the January domestic camp that are age-eligible for the 2019 U-20 FIFA World Cup, set to be held in Poland from May 25–June 16. Additionally, Reynolds was previously called in to the U-18 U.S. Men’s National Team’s training camp, held at the U.S. Soccer National Development Center in Kansas City, Kan., in June 2017.
“We were monitoring Andre very closely as he played with our youth squads,” said Chicago Fire Soccer Club Head Coach Veljko Paunovic. “He is a very talented player. He also brings depth, competition and quality to our roster. We are very excited to work with him and help him reach his potential.”
Reynolds will join defender Grant Lillard and midfielders Jeremiah Gutjahr and Djordje Mihailovic as Homegrown Players on the Fire’s 2019 roster.
Transaction: Chicago Fire Soccer Club signs Andre Reynolds II as a Homegrown Player on Jan. 25, 2019.
Name: Andre Reynolds II
Position: Defender
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 155 lbs.
Date of Birth: May 2, 2001
Birthplace: Chicago, Ill.
Citizenship: United States of America
