CHICAGO (Jan. 28, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC II today announced that the Club has signed defender Olu Oyegunle (pronounced: Oh-yeh-GOON-leh) to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2025, with a Club option for 2026. Oyegunle was selected 33rd overall by the Fire in MLS SuperDraft 2024. Financial details were not disclosed.
“Olu is a young player with tremendous upside, and we’re thrilled to add him to our group at Chicago Fire II,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Gregg Broughton. “His physicality and composure on the ball give us confidence that he will develop into a key contributor for the Club. We believe that bringing in talented young prospects like Olu is important as we continue to build for the future, and we look forward to seeing him grow within our environment.”
Oyegunle, 22, joins Chicago Fire II after a successful career at Syracuse University, where the defender won the 2022 NCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship in his sophomore season. He followed up a career high in minutes with another successful campaign with Syracuse, logging over 1,000 minutes en route to a NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament appearance in his junior year.
“We followed Olu in college and drafted him out of Syracuse last season because we see that he is not only a great person, but he has excellent capabilities as a left center back,” said Chicago Fire FC II General Manager Alex Boler. “With his experience, athleticism, and personality, he’ll fit into our environment very well. He has some intangible qualities that you can’t really teach, and we are excited for him to continue his development with Chicago Fire II.”
At the international level, Oyegunle previously earned a call-up to the Canada U-17 Men’s National Team preparation camp ahead of the 2019 U-17 FIFA World Cup.
Transaction: Chicago Fire FC II signs defender Olu Oyegunle to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2025 season.
Name: Olu Oyegunle (pronounced: Oh-yeh-GOON-leh)
Position: Defender
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 195 lbs.
Date of Birth: March 11, 2002
Hometown: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Birthplace: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Citizenship: Canada
College: Syracuse
