The Chicago Fire made their first acquisitions of 2011 on Tuesday, signing American midfielder Daniel Paladini and Croatian center back Josip Mikulic to a pair of contracts. Per league policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
“We are excited about the additions of Daniel Paladini and Josip Mikulic to the Chicago Fire Soccer Club,” Fire technical director Frank Klopas said in a statement. “Both players possess a passion to win on and off the field, a trait required of any player who wears the Fire badge.”
Paladini, 26, joins the Fire after spending two seasons with the Carolina RailHawks of the USSF D-2 Pro League. The 24th overall pick in the 2006 MLS Supplemental draft was named to the D-2 Best XI in both of his seasons with the RailHawks, scoring seven goals and notching five assists in 34 appearances in 2010.
The addition of Paladini, who appeared in eight matches with Chivas USA in 2008, will help shore up a midfield core decimated by the offseason departures of Freddie Ljungberg, John Thorrington and Peter Lowry.
“Paladini is a smart, technical midfielder who has excelled with the Carolina RailHawks,” Klopas said. “He will help improve our core of midfielders.”
Mikulic, 24, comes to the Fire from Croatian club NK Zagreb. The 6-foot-1 center back made 48 appearances in five seasons with the first division club. He figures to compete with new arrival Cory Gibbs and second-year player Kwame Watson-Siriboe for time in the middle of the back four.
“Mikulic is an athletic player with good feet, a focus on defending and strong presence in the back,” said Klopas. “He comes to the Fire from a professional environment and has a number of years experience in the Croatian First Division. He is focused on defending and committed to winning.”
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.
