Chicago Fire II is continuing to turn its academy pathway into a legitimate launchpad for young players.
The club announced Wednesday that 18-year-old midfielder Damyan Villanueva has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract that runs through the 2027-28 season, with club options for 2028-29 and 2029-30.
For Villanueva, the deal is the latest step in a rapid rise that has taken him from the Chicago Fire Academy to MLS NEXT Pro and now onto the U.S. youth international stage.
And considering what he accomplished during the 2026 season, the timing of the professional contract makes plenty of sense.
Villanueva Became a Key Piece for Chicago Fire II
Villanueva broke through in a major way during the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season, appearing in 27 matches and making 16 starts.
He finished the campaign with 13 goal contributions, the most on Chicago Fire II.
The midfielder recorded six goals and seven assists, leading the club in assists while finishing tied for second on the team in goals.
Even more impressive, he did it while playing for one of the youngest rosters in MLS NEXT Pro.
That production came after Villanueva had already established himself in the Chicago Fire Academy. He led the club’s U-18 team in scoring during the 2025-26 MLS NEXT season before making his mark at the professional developmental level.
Chicago Fire Sporting Director Gregg Broughton pointed to that progression as one of the reasons Villanueva earned the opportunity.
The club challenged him to carry the form he had shown in MLS NEXT into MLS NEXT Pro, and his response was a breakout season.
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LEARN MORE →From a 15-Year-Old Debut to a Professional Contract
Villanueva’s pathway with Chicago Fire II started remarkably early.
He made his MLS NEXT Pro debut at just 15 years old on July 28, 2024, appearing against FC Cincinnati 2.
His 2026 season, however, was where the midfielder truly began turning potential into production.
Villanueva scored his first two Chicago Fire II goals on June 27 against Crown Legacy FC, earning MLS NEXT Rising Star of the Matchweek 17 honors.
Just one week later, he earned the same recognition again after producing a goal and an assist on the road against Huntsville City FC.
That two-week stretch helped put Villanueva firmly on the radar as one of Chicago’s emerging young talents.
Now, less than three months later, he’s officially a professional.
U.S. Youth National Team Opportunity Adds Another Milestone
Villanueva’s rise hasn’t been limited to the club level.
The midfielder recently received his first call-up to a U.S. Youth National Team, joining U.S. U-19 head coach Rob Valentino’s squad for an international training camp in Marbella, Spain.
The camp began September 24 and runs through October 6.
That opportunity gives Villanueva another important development experience while putting him in an environment with some of the country’s top young players.
For Chicago Fire, it’s also another example of the academy-to-first-team pathway the organization is trying to build.
Villanueva’s progression is particularly notable because he has already experienced several levels of that pathway: academy soccer, MLS NEXT Pro and now the U.S. youth national team.
What This Means
Villanueva’s contract gives Chicago Fire II another young player to build around while giving the midfielder additional time to develop in a professional environment.
At 18, he still has plenty of room to grow physically, tactically and technically. But the production is already there.
Six goals and seven assists in 27 MLS NEXT Pro appearances is not simply a promising stat line — it’s evidence that Villanueva has already learned how to influence games at the next level.
The next challenge will be turning that breakout season into sustained production.
And with club options extending through 2029-30, Chicago has made it clear that Villanueva is viewed as part of the club’s longer-term development picture.
ASN Take
The most interesting part of Villanueva’s story isn’t just that he signed a professional contract at 18.
It’s how quickly he has moved through the pathway.
A player who debuted in MLS NEXT Pro at 15 is now producing regularly, earning youth national team recognition and signing a deal that could keep him with Chicago Fire II through his early 20s.
That is exactly what MLS NEXT Pro was designed to provide young players: a bridge between academy soccer and the professional game.
Villanueva now has the opportunity to turn a breakout 2026 campaign into the foundation of a much bigger career.
Up Next
Villanueva will continue his development with Chicago Fire II while representing the United States at the U-19 level during the Marbella international camp.
For Chicago Fire, his signing adds another academy-developed player to the professional pathway — and another young name for MLS fans to keep an eye on.
Related Atlanta Soccer News Stories
- Atlanta United 2 Signs Academy Standout Ignacio Suarez Through 2026
- Atlanta United 2 Stars Arif Kovac and Cameron Dunbar Make MLS NEXT Pro History
- Atlanta United 2 Falls 4-1 to Chattanooga FC as Arif Kovac Retakes MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot Lead
The Bottom Line
Damyan Villanueva’s 2026 season has taken him from promising academy midfielder to MLS NEXT Pro contributor and U.S. youth international.
Now, with a professional contract in hand, the next chapter of his development officially begins.
What do you think of Chicago Fire’s academy pathway? Could Villanueva become the next academy product to make a bigger impact at the MLS level? Share your thoughts with Atlanta Soccer News and send this story to another soccer fan.
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.