Unless Cuypers wants to go and explore something new, this would be an extremely dumb and short sighted decision.
Thanks for doing the leg work. I wasn't in the mood to chase the sources usually demanded after the Malort 5k in the morning & more alcohol than I usually consume in a day.
Posted overnight from the Monterrey version of "The Score": Translated from Spanish "¡CUYPERS! TOTAL Agreement between Clubs. Player's formal paperwork is pending. Physical tests remain. It's NOT signed yet but all parties are already on board It would be a three-year contract with an option for one more based on objectives. Exclusive info from @mmdeportesmx @rg690 " It looked like Monterrey pushed hard for this since the beginning of the calendar year. Cuypers deal was going into an option year in 2027. He probably gets a big pay raise and longer term at Monterrey. Maybe he gets that here without Bob in the picture, or wasn't happy with the playing arrangement with Big Bob. Whatever. The Chicago Fire FC made their choice and Hugo Cuypers made his choice. Cuypers was the last bit of good business from the Heitz/Peltzer era. Now GGG gets to (has too?) make another big swing in the transfer market. He also has to deal with a locker room that has a big part of it's heart cut out when Hugo Cuypers walks out the door for the last time.
💣🇧🇪 BREAKING: CF Monterrey is finalizing a deal to sign MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers from the Chicago Fire, per sources.Monterrey will pay $7.5m fee + $500k in add-ons.Reporting with @PaulTenorio 🤝 @CLMerlo https://t.co/H9qNkd47r7— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) July 19, 2026
Peak transfer value is around age 23. By 28 the transfer fees start to drop. Getting 50% more than we got for a 22 year old Gutierrez seems like pretty good business, even if we all think or agree that it’s a bad decision. It seems pretty sudden so I have to imagine it wasn’t the original plan. But if it’s what Hugo wants, then I’m happy for him.
He could leave for free after the season. Stupid move to sell him, but maybe he was not going to sign a new deal and wanted to leave. IF that is the case, this makes sense. If we are moving Cuypers because of signing Lewandowski, this is a bad move. I suspect we will hear more about the reasoning soon.
In less than two years, Berhalter has brought the team up from perennial cellar dwellers, to making the playoffs, to currently 3rd in the table. I would have preferred to keep Cuypers, but the truth is we don't know what else is going on behind the scenes, and I haven't seen anything yet that makes me question the fact that Berhalter knows what he is doing.
This was dumb period...at the least you wait til he is out of contract. You lose that transfer fee but...if we do Not go deep in the playoffs this season it is all because of this sell as far as I am concerned.
It’s dumb, poor, odd….unless more moves/changes are coming that make it make sense. Selling golden boot leader sure is a tall order to justify And there is probably a little bit of Joe/GGG//club good karma culture…helping players move when they want a move…it’s the type of thing that actually helps recruit players in the future.
I’m now officially against the Lewandowski signing and regret my jersey purchase. Boooo! For whatever increase in scoring Lewy might bring over the Golden Boot leader, the Fire give back in the lack of track back defensive work. Who trades young for old? Dumb teams. D’Avila certainly couldn’t handle the pressure before, now even more will be expected.
Zinck is my favorite player on the squad, but Cuypers has been a very close second…for exactly this. His workrate for the team set the tone…tough to replace that…it will be a totally different team now. that said, I’m not against the big picture move…technically we just upgraded the striker position (Lewy is a massive signing} AND we now have a DP tag in hand… Sad to see Hugo go… Looking forward to seeing what GGGhas in motion…
Reading the Bogert article it says we are still pursuing Goretzka......we better not end this transfer window with an open DP spot.....gotta go all in now with the momentum....so it make me think we have options lined up.
I'm actively down on the back half of this season after these moves. This seems like replacing the leader of the golden boot race for a team solidly in the home field advantage with an old has-been who might score occasionally but won't do half the work.
Selling the golden goose for a handful of magic beans? That's an awful lot what this feels like right now. I hope I'm impressed in the end but Cuypers work rate is not easily replaced by anyone. MIR '97: Hugo Cuypers sold to CF Moneterrey https://www.meninred97.com/hugo-cuypers-sold-to-cf-monterrey/ The Athletic: Monterrey, Chicago agree on transfer for MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers: Sources https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/74...-transfer-monterrey-chicago-fire-mls-liga-mx/
I’m nervous about the schedule congestion…we have a ton of games coming up in the next 4to5 wks. Hard to imagine RL9 being as much of a mule that goes 90min 3d/wk…but we will see. I’m hopefully there are 2 more moves coming…a DP CM and a second striker (with decent experience)