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BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The time for contingency plans may be fast approaching for the Chicago Fire.
Center back Arne Friedrich is still on the mend with a hamstring injury that just won't go away, and backup center back and right back Steven Kinney looks like he'll be out for an extended period of time with a quadriceps injury.
“I feel like [Friedrich] will be back,” Klopas said. “But the thing is that you always have 'what if' scenarios. With Kinney being a long time out, we're looking at all situations.”
READ: Klopas hails defensive work after shutout win over Columbus
Friedrich hasn't practiced for the last two weeks after suffering a setback with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the first seven games of the season. The German declined comment on Thursday, but he said last week that just talking about the setback is difficult. There is no timetable for his return.
Whether he will return at all is becoming more of a legitimate question each day.
“There's always a hope, we'll take it every day and that's all we can do,” Klopas said. “We just have to work with the guys that we have in hand and we'll be ready to go. The hope every day is that it's one day closer to his return.”
Kinney started the first game of the season at center back and the second at right back before suffering a quadriceps injury, and Klopas said he could be out longer than Friedrich. That leaves no natural center back on the bench, with Mike Videira and Hunter Jumper the only available options.
READ: MLS Disciplinary Committee, suspends, fines Fire right back Wells Thompson
With the international transfer window closing in less than two weeks and not reopening until July 9, a trade seems more likely than an international signing at this point.
“We have to be looking,” Klopas said. “Obviously situations with the players outside the league, it's difficult to get guys now because they're playing. Our window's closing next month, so it's most likely to be in June. Also, we have to be looking at guys within the league.”
