Illinois native and former LA Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens is coming home to Chicago, according to a report out of Norway on Thursday.
The 25-year-old has spent the past nine months with Stabaek, the Norwegian club coached by former US and Egyptian national team boss Bob Bradley. The Norwegian outlet Fædrelandsvennen reported that Stephens’ time with the club has come to an end, however, and that he will join Chicago ahead of the 2015 MLS season.
A report on Stabaek’s club website confirmed the news.
"Mike was so keen to play for us that he booked the ticket itself and showed up at training to show that he was good enough to play for us in the Premier League,” Stabaek sporting director Inge Andrè Olsen told the site. “He said even before he came that you'd better throw him away from the training field. This willingness and ambition have also been shown to be indicative of Mike playing.
"Mike is always available both for training to fight and is a player who plays with his heart on his shirt.”
A Chicago Fire spokesperson declined to confirm that a deal for Stephens is done, but head coach Frank Yallop said earlier this week that a number of deals are in place for the Fire to add to their roster ahead of next season.
Originally from the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale and a member of the Chicago Premier Academy, Stephens played at UCLA before he was drafted by the LA Galaxy in 2010. He appeared in 94 games over four seasons for the club before he was let go last year.
