2024 Chicago Fire in Review: Fabian Herbers

Fabian Herbers once again showed why he was such a valuable member of the Chicago Fire throughout 2024, his final season with the club after joining ahead of the 2019 MLS season.

Herbers, 31, occupied multiple roles within the Fire’s formation, lining up as an attacking midfielder, a winger, a defensive midfielder, and an outside back at times for former Chicago head coach Frank Klopas. He also wore the captain’s armband a handful of times as he was the longest-tenured member of the club as he eclipsed 100 MLS starts with the Fire in 2024.

The Fire needed the most out of Herbers in his sixth season with the club and he was rewarded with a career-high 2,037 MLS minutes while contributing three goals and four assists, his most MLS goal contributions since he was a rookie with the Philadelphia Union in 2016.

It was against Philadelphia on the first matchday of 2024 when Herbers notched a goal and an assist while the Fire shared the points in Chester, Pennsylvania. He notched a goal in what's expected to be his final appearance with the Fire when they lost 4-3 to Charlotte in October.

Herbers’ contract expired after the 2024 MLS season and the Fire announced that they won't bring him back. One can expect Herbers to end up with a club in MLS as he remains an incredibly versatile option, particularly if he's in a role off the bench.