Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire announced today that they signed former Sacramento Republic goalkeeper Patrick McLain.

In an announcement on the club’s website, Fire General Manager Nelson Rodríguez emphasized McLain’s potential. “Perhaps not yet recognized by many, we believe that Patrick is about to become known as an outstanding talent,” he said. “He’s excellent with his feet and he also commands his box very well.”

McLain joined Republic for the 2015 season after playing in 2014 with Orange County Blues FC. He appeared in 25 games for Sacramento over league and US Open Cup play, recording 75 saves with a save percentage of 0.7. With him in goal, Sacramento conceded 32 goals and an average of 1.28 goals per game.

McLain’s option for this upcoming season was declined by the club in early December of last year, the same day that they announced the signing of former OKC Energy goalkeeper Evan Newton. ICS writer Evan Eyster took a look at how McLain compared to Newton, and found that the Republic’s new signing was perhaps the better of the two.

Although he was only in Sacramento for a short time and did not exactly set the league on fire, McLain will leave behind a memory in the minds of Sacramento Republic fans that will not die easily. We at ICS hope he finds success with Chicago Fire.

What do you think of McLain’s move to the Fire? Let us know on Twitter, on Facebook, or in the comments below.