Chicago Fire midfielder Jeremiah Gutjahr is expected to be sidelined at least four months after undergoing arthroscopic right knee surgery, the team announced Thursday.
The operation to repair a torn medial meniscus was performed Wednesday by Dr. Brian Forsythe in Oak Brook, Ill., according to the Fire.
Gutjahr, 22, joined the Fire in 2019 after playing in the club’s academy from 2012-15. The Bloomington, Ind., native went on to a four-year career at Indiana University from 2015-18, winning the Big Ten championship and getting to the national semifinals in his last season.
As a rookie for Chicago last year, Gutjahr appeared in eight games and made five starts, recording one assist. He had yet to play in the Fire’s two games in 2020 before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gutjahr also played for the United States’ under-18 and under-20 national teams, helping the latter squad win the 2017 Concacaf Championship.
The Fire are due to return to action in the MLS is Back Tournament, July 8-Aug. 11 at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Chicago will compete in an opening-stage group along with Orlando City, Inter Miami, New York City FC, the Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC.
(Field Level Media)
