Major League Soccer

Soumare Leaves Chicago For French Club Boulogne

The Chicago Fire has sold Mali international defender Bakary Soumare to French club Boulogne.

Aug 26, 2009 7:31:02 PM

MLS: Bakary Soumare, Chicago Fire, June 2008 (ISI)

Photo Gallery

Zoom

MLS: Bakary Soumare, Chicago Fire, June 2008 (ISI)

Teams

Players

Bakary Soumare

The Chicago Fire has sold All-Star defender Bakary Soumare to Boulogne. The French Ligue 1 club is reported by l'Equipe to have paid $2.14 million for his services.

“We would like to thank Bakary Soumare for his contributions to this club and wish him the best in his future playing career,” said Chicago technical director Frank Klopas.

The 23-year-old won Chicago's defender of the year award last year as well as making the Major League Soccer Best XI, helping his club reach the Western Conference finals. At 6'4, Soumare is a towering and physically imposing central defender with a good read of the game.

His position with the Fire became untenable when he had a physical altercation with Chicago head coach Denis Hamlett on August 9. At halftime of the loss against the Houston Dynamo, the two shoved each other and Soumare ripped the shirt of his coach. Soumare did not return of the second half and has not suited up for the team since.

"He is not 100 percent committed to this team, so as a result, I'm not going to put a player on the field that's not committed to the organization and his teammates," Hamlett said to the Chicago-Sun Times. "We have to make sure he's committed to the team and the organization, and that's the starting point."

Soumare left shortly after the Houston game to join up with the Mali international team.

Boulogne earned promotion to the Ligue 1 last season and has two wins and one draw in league play thus far this season.

Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com

For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page

Thank you for your comment!

Please enter your name

Please enter your location

Please share your comment!