Chicago Fire FC sign midfielder Sam Williams | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

Chicago Fire FC have acquired the homegrown rights for midfielder Sam Williams from the New York Red Bulls, the club announced Friday.

Additionally, the 19-year-old signed a homegrown contract with Chicago through 2025 with club options for 2026-28.

In exchange for Williams, the Red Bulls receive $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). They could receive up to an additional $75k in performance-based GAM as well.

"Sam has been training with us since January and has proven not only his ability to compete at the first-team level, but also his resilience and ability to adapt," said Chicago director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter.

"He is a versatile player who makes an excellent addition to our roster as we move forward with the 2025 regular season."

Williams joined Chicago's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Chicago Fire II, in January after featuring for the University of North Carolina. He earned his MLS debut in a 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Matchday 2 and also made a brief cameo against FC Dallas.

With the New York Red Bulls Academy, Williams became the first graduate to reach 2,000 minutes for New York Red Bulls II during the 2022 USL Championship regular season as a 17-year-old. At UNC, Williams was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team.

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