Top Stories

Report: Uruguayan midfielder Arevalo to join Fire

EgidioArevalo1-Palermo (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

A member of the Uruguayan National Team is reportedly heading to Major League Soccer.

Reports in Italy and Uruguay state that Egidio Arevalo, a 30-year-old central midfielder, is set to sign with the Chicago Fire. Arevalo spent this past season with Palermo in Italy, but due to the team’s relegation to Serie B and some reported disagreements with the coach, the Uruguayan has decided to head back across the Atlantic.

While he’s never played in MLS before, Arevalo did suit up for Club Tijuana for the 2011 Apertura and 2012 Clausura seasons, making 33 appearances and scoring three goals. The Paysandú native is also a regular on his national team, and he played in three of Uruguay’s five matches at this summer’s Confederations Cup.

Arevalo, who captained Uruguay’s squad at the 2012 London Olympics, has previously also played for Botafogo in Brazil, Peñarol in Uruguay, as well as Monterrey and San Luis in Mexico.

If the Fire do seal the deal to bring in Arevalo, he’d be the second South American brought into the club this month, after the MLS side signed Juan Luis Anangonó. Arevalo would also become the second Uruguayan on the Fire’s payroll, though his countryman Alvaro Fernandez is currently on-loan with Nacional in Uruguay.

What do you think of this news? Do you see Arevalo succeeding in MLS? Do you see the Fire making the playoffs with Magee, Anongono, and Arevalo?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. After signing Arevalo Rios, they should bring Diego Forlan, and the Chicago Fire will be among the top teams in the league. Moreover, younger players will learn to appreciate how real “futbol” is played

    Reply
  2. This is an AAA signing! I’m glad we’re seeing a rise in the quality of foreigners coming to MLS (sans retirees). In a few years, the quality of average player signings will be on par with Liga MX at least, like this guy and Bernardello 😀

    Reply
  3. This sounds like a quality signing. Is it for DP money? Somebody has to be the odd man or men out in that midfield, I wonder who the Fire are going to let go.

    Reply
  4. The Fire has a hard time with players that fit into the team. McDonald, Alvaro Fernandez, Oduro …. you can not have players come in and disrupt team chemistry, and it appears Koplas is not pulling the right strings.

    Reply
  5. Guillermo Rivera is a shill for the Fire FO.
    They told him to kill the story until some trades are worked out.
    This is going to happen.

    Reply
    • That might be one the most uninformed things I’ve ever seen in the comments section here, and that says a lot. What sense would that make?

      Reply
    • This is the same Ives for every MLS coaching vacancy, he always pumps the “Denis Hamlett is the leading candidate” propaganda in his column. Teams have shy away from Denis Hamlett for a reason due to his inept coaching style and his run in with players. He couldn’t even get a USL-Pro/NASL gig let alone a MLS coaching job.

      Reply
    • I agree, the quality of international signings has improved. I prefer these types of signings (Arevalo, Bieler, Valeri, etc..) as compared to superstar signings because I think it increases the league product and doesn’t attract just those looking to watch international superstars.

      Reply
  6. Rios is a tiny little fellow that certainly has a bit of nastiness to his game that allows him succeed. He’s never been in a challenge that he didn’t think he could win. He’s not to shabby at possessing the ball and spraying in all across the pitch. I imagine his disputes with Palermo are directly realte to playing in Serie B because he is a spitting imagine, playing wise, as his new coach Gennaro Gattuso.

    Reply
  7. This has been floating around for a few days now and been dismissed as baseless rumor by a couple sources. Perhaps Ives has more info, but I wouldn’t hold my breathe on this happening.

    Reply
    • That’s what I’ve seen as well, and it really doesn’t make sense based on a variety of factors. Chicago fire confidential has it all spelled out pretty clearly.

      Reply
    • Agreed. I have a lot of faith in Ives but I’m going to trust Guillermo and his sources that this won’t happen. Of course, Guillermo’s sources could just be blowing smoke for some reason.

      Reply
  8. This is what the Fire needed – a true hard-nosed ball winner. As loyal of a servant that Logan Pause has been, he’s past it now. A true #6 to protect the back 4 and distribute to our attacking players is a plus for the Fire.

    Reply
    • I think you’re wrong about what the Fire need. We have a glut of defensive midfielders with Larentowicz, Pause, Pineda, and even Alex to a certain extent. We need someone who’s more of a playmaker, either for the wings or to play centrally, and probably at least one more legitimate striker so that Magee doesn’t have to save our butts every game.

      Reply
      • I think you’re correct in general, but if this guy pans out, they can offload a few of those guys you mentioned to invest in a better attacking player.

      • Not to mention Paladini. Makes no sense, they have no int’l spot either unless/until they can unload Fat Mac.

      • But none of those guys can hold a torch to Rios – the best of that group mentioned, Larentowicz, is good, but even he was at his best when he played next to Mastroeni at Colorado (whose a similar style to Rios). Plus, as mentioned in reply to this comment, if Rios pans out, they can offload some of these average CMs and go out and acquire some legitimate attacking talent.

      • But why waste money on a player in a position for which we already have several good-enough players, when we are in dire need of a creative midfielder?

Leave a Comment