Plus, Red Stars add four players to replace those on World Cup duty.
FIRE ACQUIRE CALVO: The Chicago Fire sent $400,000 in allocation money to Minnesota United for left back Francisco Calvo. Calvo, 26, is under contract for this and next season with club options for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
The Allocation Money includes $100,000 in General Allocation Money and $50,000 in Targeted Allocation Money in 2019 and $100,000 in General Allocation Money and $150,000 in Targeted Allocation Money in 2020. If Calvo meets certain performance milestones with the Fire, Minnesota United could receive an additional $125,000 in TAM. Additionally, Minnesota retains considerations for a percentage of a potential future transfer of Calvo outside of MLS.
Calvo had made 60 appearances with the Loons since joining the Loons in 2017 with five goals and four assists. He had made six starts and was the club captain this season, but was sent off in the match against Toronto on April 19th and did not dress for the match against DC United after an apparent fallout between him and Loons head coach Adrian Heath.
“Acquiring Francisco’s talents and character is a big plus for our club,” said Fire president and GM Nelson Rodrίguez in a statement. “He is a versatile defender with international experience in the prime of his career. He is familiar with MLS and has demonstrated a competitive mentality that should fit well with our group.”
The Costa Rican international has earned 46 caps for the Ticos since making his senior team debut in 2011. The defender featured in two matches at the 2018 World Cup, playing 90 minutes against Serbia before coming on as a sub against Brazil.
RED STARS ADD TO ROSTER IN LIEU OF WORLD CUP STARS: The Chicago Red Stars signed three players as supplemental players and one as a National Team replacement ahead of Friday’s match at Utah Royals tonight (8:30pm CT, NBCS-CHI) which includes two players from Northwestern and one from Loyola Chicago.
Hannah Davison, Alison “AJ” Jahansouz and Kayla Sharples have been offered a supplemental player contract for the Red Stars. Davison and Sharples were part of the 2019 NWSL College Draft class, while Jahansouz was an invitee into preseason camp. Jenna Szczesny has earned a National Team replacement contract as part of the recent departure of U.S. Women’s National Team players ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Davison was chosen with the 33rd overall pick in the draft after being a key player for four years at Northwestern University. The defender started every game in her senior season that secured eight clean sheets. As a sophomore, Northwestern had the lowest goal against average in the nation, allowing a mere .29 goals per game and led the nation in shutouts (17).
Jahansouz graduated from Stanford University with a list of accolades. In her redshirt senior year, the goalkeeper finished with a 17-1-2 record with 11 clean sheets, a 0.844 save percentage and 0.50 goals-against average in 1,807 minutes of play. She led the PAC-12 in goals-against average (0.34), save percentage (0.880) and shutouts (6).
The 26th overall pick in the draft, Sharples had a standout career at Northwestern University. An All-Big Ten First Team player in three consecutive seasons for the Wildcats, Sharples played every minute for the university during both the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Szczesny, a local product out of Hoffman Estates, heard her name called at the NWSL Draft when Chicago drafted her with the 35th overall pick. The forward was the first player in program history at Loyola University Chicago to be drafted into the NWSL. A four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree, she took home Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors in her senior season after notching 11 goals and seven assists. Szczesny is found throughout the record books at Loyola, sitting second in both overall points (84) and goals (32), and resides third in assists (20).
Chicago Fire
