Chicago Fire Loan Georgios Koutsias to FC Lugano

The Chicago Fire’s roster continues to evolve as Major League Soccer’s offseason is in full swing.

The Fire are loaning forward Georgios Koutsias to FC Lugano, a club also owned by Joe Mansueto, of the Swiss Super League for the year with Lugano maintaining a purchase option at the end of the deal, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Chicago opens up a U-22 initiative slot and an international roster spot with the move and maintains the option to recall Koutsias at any point during the loan.

The Fire acquired Koutsias from PAOK FC in February 2023 and he finally joined the club in April of that year after he finally received his work visa.

He made the jump across the Atlantic by himself just after turning 19 while having to adjust to a lineup that mainly spoke English and Spanish. Former head coach Frank Klopas, a former Greek striker himself, mentored Koutsias while he was with the Fire.

Koutsias never fully found his footing in the Fire’s lineup and struggled to consistently make an impact in his two MLS seasons. Although he has found success with Greece’s youth teams as a center forward, he was mostly dispatched on the wing alongside another striker or as a full-on winger with the Fire.

Koutsias made 57 appearances (18 starts) with Chicago over the last two seasons while scoring five goals and collecting three assists in MLS. He also added a goal in each of Chicago’s Leagues Cup matches in 2024.

The most success the young forward had over the last two years came with Greece’s U21 side, where he routinely put his name on the scoresheet while frequently wearing the captain’s armband.

“We’re excited to see Georgios continue his development with our partners at FC Lugano,” said Chicago Fire FC director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter in the announcement. “He expressed a desire to return to Europe, and this move gives him the opportunity to continue growing in a highly competitive league. It also provides us with increased roster flexibility as we work to build a strong team for the 2025 season.”