“I do a lot with Shaqiri in my spare time”

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Chicago Fire training has just ended at 1 p.m. local time when Blick gets on the phone with the newest Swiss MLS exporter, Maren Haile-Selassie, 23. “We have great conditions here. Our training base is in the former stadium. We also have breakfast and lunch here,” says the new Chicago teammate of Nati star Xherdan Shaqiri (31).

The training takes place near the airport. But played at the 60,000-seat arena Soldier Field downtown, right on the shore of Lake Michigan. Here Haile-Selassie starts his new life in the USA in front of 20,000 fans against New York City (1: 1).

“The game in MLS is very physical and intense, it goes back and forth. Unfortunately, my goal just didn’t count because of offside,” says the attacking player, who is rented from partner club Lugano.

As a guest from Lugano, Shaqiri is excited about the US

Sports director Georg Heitz is behind the deal. In order for Chicago to finally make the MLS playoffs again after six years, the team needs to be strengthened with a fast wing.

Heitz found the profile he was looking for internally – at Haile-Selassie. The former FCZ and Xamax player listened to the offer in winter and has the best source of information in Lugano during training: Shaqiri stayed fit in Ticino for the World Cup. Haile-Selassie: “Shaq is a very open man, he told me a lot about the US in Lugano.”

The Zurich resident opted for the MLS adventure. He had never been to America – now as an employee. “I’m well settled, I’ve found an apartment on the 23rd floor in the center,” says the man from Zurich with Ethiopian roots, who provides double Swiss power with Shaqiri. “We do a lot together in our spare time and like to go out for dinner together in the evenings. It’s nice to be able to speak Swiss German with someone.”

Two million transfers from Chicago to England

For winger Haile-Selassie, the transfer to North America is a step forward. MLS has become a springboard for young players. This is also evident from the two million transfers from Chicago to the Premier League: striker Jhon Duran to Aston Villa and goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina to Chelsea.

Will Haile-Selassie be the next top deal? Billionaire Joe Mansueto would probably be happy. The owner of Chicago and Lugano is a ghost in Ticino. Very different at home. He appeared at winter training camps in Cancun and Arizona. Haile-Selassie: “He was in the dressing room for the first game, he is very present and talks to the players a lot.”

Source : Blick