Allan Arigoni Set to Join Chicago Fire, Per Report

The Chicago Fire’s busy Monday continues as the club is signing Allan Arigoni on a one-year loan deal, per MenInRed97’s Alex Calabrese.

The Fire will have an option to purchase the contract of Arigoni from FC Lugano at the end of the 2024 Major League Soccer season, per Calabrese. Lugano is one of the clubs that the Fire’s chairman Joe Mansueto also owns.

Arigoni, 25, made 23 appearances (20 starts) in all competitions for FC Lugano before the new year, collecting his lone assist of the season in Lugano’s 3-2 win over Beşiktaş in the Group Stage of the UEFA Conference League on Oct. 5. Arigoni needed less than 400 more minutes on the pitch this year for Lugano to eclipse his total from the year before despite it being the halfway point of the Swiss Super League campaign.

The Swiss defender came up through the youth ranks of fellow Swiss Super League side Grasshopper before joining Lugano in 2022.

Arigoni has experience all along the backline, making starts this season at the center back, left back, and right back spots for Lugano.

Instant Analysis

This is the type of deal that the Fire are expected to make annually given the Mansueto connections at Lugano. If he thrives, Arigoni will be in Chicago long-term and if he doesn’t then he will be back at Lugano in 2025 (a la Ousmane Doumbia in 2023).

Arigoni’s arrival also leaves the door open for right back Arnaud Souquet to depart after a single season in Chicago. Souquet is now the odd man out at right back with Arigoni and Jonathan Dean.