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Chicago Fire FC Acquires 17-Year-Old Colombian Forward Jhon Jader Duran

January 11, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Chicago Fire News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Fire FC today announced that the Club has acquired Colombian forward Jhon Jáder Durán via transfer from Envigado FC (Colombia). Durán, 17, is the youngest international player signing in MLS history.

His contract with the Fire, which will begin on January 1, 2022, includes a three-year deal with Club options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Durán will spend the 2021 season with Envigado before joining the Fire in 2022. He will be added to the Club's 2022 roster following a medical and receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa.

"Jhon is a very special and highly rated young talent, who will be an excellent addition to our Club," said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz. "We're extremely excited that Jhon has decided to take the next step in his career with the Chicago Fire, as he received interest from numerous Clubs from around the world. His signing is a testament to our ownership's vision to become a top destination for talented young players. Although Jhon is unable to join us right away, we will work closely with Envigado FC to ensure a smooth transition to the Club in January 2022."

Durán was recently highlighted by The Guardian as one of the 60 best young talents in world football, ranking alongside players from noteworthy Clubs such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus and many others. Additionally, in 2019, he became the second-youngest goal scorer in the history of the Colombian first division at just 15-years-old, 263 days, scoring in the ninth minute of his first professional start. Durán is a graduate of the famed Envigado Academy that has produced well-known footballers including James Rodriguez and Juan Fernando Quintero.

A tall and versatile striker, Durán has made 24 appearances (10 starts) and tallied two goals across all competitions since making his professional debut with Envigado in 2019. During his first two professional seasons, Durán played alongside defender Carlos Terán, who was signed by the Fire on Aug. 21.

Internationally, Durán has earned two caps (two starts) for Colombia's U-17 National Team. Both appearances occurred during the 2019 South American U-17 Championship in Peru. The striker was recently promoted to Colombia's U-20 team, which is currently preparing for the 2021 South American U-20 Championship.

Durán will occupy an international slot on the Fire's 2022 roster.

Transaction: Chicago Fire FC acquires forward Jhon Jáder Durán via transfer from Envigado FC (Colombia). His contract with the Fire, which will begin on January 1, 2022, includes a three-year deal with Club options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Durán will spend the 2021 season with Envigado before joining the Fire in 2022. He will be added to the Club's 2022 roster following a medical and receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa.

Name: Jhon Jáder Durán

Position: Forward

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 161 lbs.

Date of Birth: December 13, 2003

Hometown: Medellin, Colombia

Birthplace: Medellin, Colombia

Citizenship: Colombia

Last Club: Envigado FC

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