CHICAGO (Feb. 28, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC today announced that the Club has acquired 19-year-old Greek forward Georgios Koutsias (pronounced: KOO-tseeas) from P.A.O.K. FC of the Greek Super League. Koutsias will occupy a U-22 initiative slot and an international roster position. His contract with the Fire will run through the 2026 season with a Club option for 2027. Per Club and MLS policy, additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Georgios is a talented young player with the potential to make an immediate contribution to our front line,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz. “At just 19 years old, he has experience in a competitive European league and at the youth international level. We’re excited to welcome Georgios to Chicago.”
Koutsias,19, joins Chicago after spending the first half of the 2022-2023 season at Volos NPS of the Greek Super League, on loan from P.A.O.K. FC. Since making his Greek Super League debut at the age of 16 with PAOK, Koutsias has scored 25 goals across all competitions including two goals in three Greek Cup matches. Most recently, Koutsias salvaged a 1-1 draw for Volos against PAS Lamia on Feb. 24, 2023, with an 85th-minute goal. The tie helped to keep Volos in the top half of the league table, where they currently sit in sixth place.
Prior to his loan to Volos, Koutsias was a member of the PAOK Academy since 2012. He featured in 26 matches and scored 16 goals for the PAOK U-19 squad before going on to score 10 goals in 16 matches for PAOK B. At the international level, Koutsias has represented Greece at the U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-21 levels. Of his eight Greece U-21 caps, seven were part of the UEFA European Under-21 qualifying tournament. Coming on as an 85th-minute substitution in the final match of qualifying on June 11, 2022, against Portugal, Koutsias scored in stoppage time to cut the Portuguese lead in half, but the team was unable to come from behind and finished in third place of Group D.
With this acquisition, the Fire have signed three players under the league’s U-22 initiative. In 2021, the Club signed Argentine midfielder Federico Navarro and Colombian striker Jhon Durán. At the time, the 17-year-old Durán became the youngest international signing in MLS history, and in 2023 he transferred to English Premier League side Aston Villa for a Club-record, multi-million-dollar transfer fee.
Transaction: Chicago Fire FC acquires forward Georgios Koutsias from P.A.O.K. FC of the Greek Super League. His contract with the Club will run through the 2026 season with a Club option for 2027. Koutsias will occupy a U-22 initiative slot and an international roster position.
Name: Georgios Koutsias (pronounced: KOO-tseeas)
Position: Forward
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 163 lbs.
Date of Birth: February 8, 2004
Hometown: Trikala, Imathia
Birthplace: Trikala, Imathia
Citizenship: Greece
Last Club: Volos NPS (on loan from P.A.O.K. FC)
October 7 vs Charlotte FC
Chicago Fire FC celebrated Fan Appreciation Night on October 7, 2023 to give back to our dedicated fans and their commitment throughout the season!
