BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.(July 11, 2018) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Tuesday that it has secured the transfer of Serbian midfielder Aleksandar Katai from Spanish La Liga side Deportivo Alavés. Katai is under contract with the Fire through 2019, with a club option for 2020.
Katai joined the Fire on loan from Alavés on Feb. 6, 2018. In 18 league matches this season, Katai is tied for the team-lead with eight goals, two of which were game-winners. He has also tallied three assists.
Katai joined Alavés on Aug. 30, 2016 and appeared in 23 matches, scoring three goals and adding four assists. Prior to that, Katai was the leading scorer in the Serbian SuperLiga with 21 goals during the 2015-16 season. The 27-year-old initially joined Red Star Belgrade on loan for the 2014-15 campaign, then secured a transfer in June 2015. He amassed 31 goals and 15 assists in 68 games across all competitions for Red Star.
Katai made his Serbian SuperLiga debut for FK Vojvodina in March 2010. He scored six goals in 29 league appearances before departing for Greece in June 2011, joining Superleague side Olympiacos F.C.
In his second stint in Serbia, Katai scored six goals in 31 matches from 2011-13. Katai returned to Greece for the 2013-14 season on loan with Platanias F.C. where he scored eight goals in 24 appearances.
Born in Srbobran, Serbia, Katai made his senior international debut on Nov. 13, 2015 in a friendly against the Czech Republic. Katai has since earned six total caps for Serbia.
Transaction: Chicago Fire secures transfer of midfielder Aleksandar Katai from Deportivo Alavés
Name: Aleksandar Katai
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6’
Weight: 155
Date of Birth: Feb. 6, 1991
Birthplace: Srbobran, Serbia
Citizenship: Serbian
Last Club: Deportivo Alavés (ESP)
