When rumors linking Nicolas Gaitan with a move to the Chicago Fire initially surfaced, supporters were quick to dismiss them. The midfielder had experience at the highest level, playing for Benfica and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, while representing Argentina at the international level. He was wasting away in the Chinese Super League, but Gaitan was still only 30, with plenty of quality years ahead of him. Why would he move to Chicago?
Fire fans had earned the right to be pessimistic. The club had messed up countless big-money moves in the past, with the list of players they failed to sign growing every year — the likes of Juan Quintero, Jermaine Jones, and Didier Drogba had already turned down Chicago in the past.