The Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls have completed a blockbuster trade.
The Red Bulls have traded captain Dax McCarty to the Chicago Fire in exchange for $400,000 in general allocation money split over the next two seasons.
“We thank Dax for his service to the club,” said Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch. “He will go down as one of the best players and captains in franchise history. At this point in time, we felt that this was the right move to put our team in the best position to succeed both now and for years to come.”
McCarty spent the past six seasons with New York and was a key starter during the team’s two Supporters’ Shield-winning campaigns in 2013 and 2015. The 29-year-old has played in 275 regular-season games with the Red Bulls, FC Dallas and D.C. United since 2006.
As for the Fire, this move significantly bolsters their midfield, which already contains Juninho after he was acquired on loan from Club Tijuana earlier in the offseason.
“Since the middle of 2016, we made acquiring Dax our No. 1 priority,” said Fire general manager Nelson Rodríguez. “In order to do so, we had to exchange worthy and appropriate compensation. We believe adding his character and leadership in the locker room, as well as his exceptional soccer abilities on the field, dramatically improves our team.”
Chicago was heavily linked to Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and reportedly offered him a contract, but McCarty’s acquisition clearly alters those plans.