Miguel Navarro signs with Chicago Fire FC through 2024

Miguel Navarro is sticking around at Chicago Fire FC, signing a new three-year deal with the club on Monday, which includes a club option for 2025. 

Navarro will not take up an international slot on Chicago’s roster after the 22-year-old received a green card in March.

The defender joined Chicago Fire in January 2020 from Venezuelan first division club Deportivo La Guaira. Since then, he has made 47 appearances for the club, including 28 in 2021 and starting in 25 of those matches. Navarro made his professional debut with Venezuelan club Deportivo JBL del Zulia in 2017.

The defender was called up to the Venezuelan senior national team for the first time for two FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches in October.

Bringing Navarro back long-term was a goal of the offseason for the organization.

“Signing Miguel to a new contract was a priority for us as we believe that he has outperformed his initial deal over the past two seasons,” sporting director Georg Heitz said in a statement.

“Since arriving to the club, Miguel has adjusted well to the demands of the league and has worked hard to consistently earn his place in the starting lineup. With our philosophy toward developing young players, we’re confident that Miguel will continue to make progress while helping the team achieve its goals.”

Navarro joins Wyatt Omsberg and Jonathan Bornstein as the third defender to agree to a new deal with the Fire this offsesaon.

The Fire finished 12th place in the Eastern Conference in 2021 with 34 points, missing out on the MLS Cup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. The team's current streak is tied for the longest playoff drought in club history. Chicago has failed to advance past the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs since 2009, and has not won the league since the team's inaugural season in 1998.