BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Salvadoran defender Manuel Salazar began a trial with the Chicago Fire on Friday.
The 24-year-old Salazar has 46 caps with the Salvadoran National Team, most of them under current Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos, who managed El Salvador from 2006 to 2009.
“He’s a very good player,” de los Cobos told MLSsoccer.com after Friday’s practice. “He’s a center or right back, young player, strong. He was very important in the national team in El Salvador and we are thinking this guy [might be able to] help to the team. ... He has a very good mentality, he’s a professional and I hope that he can help us.”
De los Cobos has a history of signing Salvadoran National Team players. Winger Julio Martinez – who has since been released – joined the Fire in January from second-division Mexican side León. Defender Deris Umanzor signed with Chicago in March.
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com or on Twitter @samstejskal.
