Fire sign sporting director Georg Heitz to contract extension

Chicago Fire FC signed sporting director Georg Heitz and technical director Sebastian Pelzer to contract extensions on Tuesday.

Terms of their deals were not disclosed for the two men, who both joined the club in December 2019.

"I'm pleased that Georg and Sebastian will continue to lead our sporting operations," Chicago Fire FC owner and chairman Joe Mansueto said in a statement. "As we continue working toward building a world-class organization deeply connected to the community, Georg and his team have created a strong foundation that will lead to sustained success. Our fans deserve to support a team that is a consistent contender for trophies, and heading into the 2024 season, we are all committed to taking the necessary steps to bring more success to the Chicago Fire."

Under Heitz's guidance, the Fire made a club-record signing by acquiring Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri prior to the 2022 season. Chicago, however, posted a 10-15-9 record to find itself out of the playoffs in 2022 and 10-14-10 mark to receive the same fate in 2023.

"I'm excited to continue leading the Chicago Fire, and I'd like to thank Joe Mansueto for his trust and support," Heitz said. "Despite falling short of our collective goal to qualify for the playoffs, we have made improvements and professionalized the organization in multiple areas to be consistently competitive in the coming seasons and over the long term. We are confident that by adding the right pieces, we will be a strong contender in the Eastern Conference next season and become a team that brings more success and joy to our fans each week."

—Field Level Media