Monday morning brought news that the Chicago Fire had made official the signing of Dutch midfielder John Goossens, inking him to a two-year contract with a club option for a third year.
The 27-year-old midfielder began his trial with the Men In Red on Monday, Feb. 8 in Tampa, and promptly went to work demonstrating to GM Nelson Rodríguez and head coach Veljko Paunovic that he would be a fit for the club, on and off the field.
In the end, he was able to do just that.
“John Goossens has proven to be a really good find for us,” Rodríguez said Monday at the Chicago Fire Season Kickoff Luncheon, “and his versatility’s also important to us. We think he can play any of the midfield spots, and we also think he can play on the wing for us, so that’s comforting.”
Once a standout at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup -- he scored four times in the tournament, including both Holland goals in a 2-1 win over Turkey in the third-place match -- Goossens enjoyed an auspicious start to his professional playing career in the Dutch Eredivisie, becoming a regular with both NEC and Feyenoord and netting his share of eye-popping goals:
Reaching the end of his time with Feyenoord, however, Goossens sought a fresh start with Indian Super League side Pune City in 2014, only to sustain a debilitating injury that limited him to just five appearances. He resurfaced with Romanian club FC Voluntari for the latter half of 2015, scoring once in 14 matches.
After regaining full fitness, he landed on the radar of Rodríguez and Paunovic as the duo considered their options for a central attacking midfielder.
“I would love to tell you it was the work of brilliant scouting, but candidly, it wasn’t,” Rodríguez said Monday. “It was more a product of having good relations with people who know me and know Pauno who believed that John’s style would fit well with what we were trying to do. They provided us with the opportunity to consider him, we invited him in and I must say John is an incredible professional.”
Turning down the opportunity to shake off his jet lag after arriving in the States, Goossens dove headfirst into Chicago Fire training determined to win a job.
Ten days later, he did this:
But there’s little doubt that what ultimately landed Goossens a permanent place in Veljko Paunovic's plans was the work-rate and playmaking ability he showed in Chicago's pair of wins over MLS opponents at the Simple Invitational. Goossens was adroit in leading a high-pressing midfield line while also picking his spots to drop deeper and help spring a fast-moving counterattack through his wingers or directly to Gilberto.
It remains to be seen whether Goossens' visa process will be wrapped up in time for Sunday's season opener vs. New York City FC (1 p.m. CT, CSN Chicago). But regardless, Goossens' circuitous travels in recent years made him understandably excited to secure his future with the Men In Red.
"Here in the U.S. everything is so professional, it's high level," he said Monday of his new surroundings. "Everything from the cleats to the clothes to the pitch, it's high level. I'm really happy and satisfied with the situation, and now I just want to play games."