As the Chicago Fire’s transformation continues this offseason, it appears another European defender could be headed to town with Dutch club FC Groningen announcing on their website that Johan Kappelhof has signed with the club.
There has been no official announcement from the Fire.
The Fire have been linked to a number of Europeans this offseason, most recently with rumors that Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic was headed to the Windy City, although he announced his retirement Friday.
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The 25-year-old Kappelhof, born to a Ghanian mother and Dutch father, has played his entire professional career with Groningen, signing in 2011 after spending time in the Ajax youth academy. Although it appears Kappelhof can feature at both center back and fullback, the Fire may have plans for him to play more centrally, with general manager Nelson Rodriguez promising at the 2015 MLS SuperDraft that center back help is on the way.
Kappelhof has made 18 appearances for Groningen in 2015-16, as the club currently sits in 10th place in the Eredivisie table. He has also appeared for the Netherlands at the youth level.
The Fire have also been linked to Polish international center back Marcin Kaminksi, while they signed fellow Portuguese center back Joao Meira.
