CHICAGO (June 15, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC announced today that the Club has signed Chicago Fire FC II defender Diego Konincks to a short-term deal. Konincks will be available for today’s MLS regular season match against Toronto FC at BMO Field.
Konincks, 23, has started all 11 games he has played for Chicago Fire FC II in 2024, logging 982 minutes on the defensive line for the Club’s MLS NEXT Pro team. Konincks has also scored two goals for Chicago Fire II while playing primarily as a center back.
Konincks signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract on March 7, 2024 with Chicago Fire FC II. He currently holds an international position with the Club’s MLS NEXT Pro team.
The defenseman from the Netherlands joined Chicago after spending last season with Saint Louis University. In his lone season with the Billikens, he started all 17 of Saint Louis’ games that season, recording four goals in 2023 while guarding the defensive line. He led a defense that averaged just one goal against per game, one of the strongest in the Atlantic-10 Conference.
This is Konincks’ first short-term deal of the 2024 regular season. Under MLS rules, a club can sign a player from its affiliate (MLS NEXT Pro or USL) to a maximum of four short-term deals ( contracts of up to four days) each season (maximum of 16 days). An individual player may be included in up to four MLS league season match rosters each season, however, that player may appear in no more than two MLS league season matches. An individual player can appear in any number of non-league matches during the terms of his four short-term deals.
Transaction: Chicago Fire FC (MLS) signs defender Diego Konincks to a short-term deal from Chicago Fire FC II (MLS NEXT Pro).
Name: Diego Konincks
Position: Defense
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 pounds
Date of birth: November 30, 2000
Hometown: Montfoort, Netherlands
Birthplace: Montfoort, Netherlands
Citizenship: Netherlands
Last club: Saint Louis University (NCAA)
