The Chicago Fire announced the acquisition Tuesday of Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers as a designated player. The reported $12 million transfer fee paid to Belgian first-division club K.A.A. Gent is the largest in Fire history.
Cuypers’ contract with the Fire runs through 2026 with an option for 2027.
Cuypers — who turns 27 on Wednesday — spent the last three seasons in Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League, totaling 64 goals and 25 assists in 126 matches across all competitions. He won the Golden Boot award in 2022-23 after leading the league with 34 goals in 56 games, including 20 goals in 33 league matches.
He also has played in Greece, where he helped Olympiacos win the first-division title in 2020-21.
“We have been very focused on acquiring a striker in the prime of their career with a proven track record of scoring goals in a very competitive league,” Fire sporting director Georg Heitz said in a statement. “Hugo has been one of the leading goal scorers in the Belgian first division over the last few seasons, and despite receiving interest from other teams, he had a very strong desire to join the Fire and help us achieve our goal of becoming one of the top clubs in MLS.”
The Fire is offering discounted tickets starting at $9 — Cuypers’ jersey number — for the March 2 home opener against FC Cincinnati at Soldier Field. They open the season on Feb. 24 at Philadelphia.