Chicago Fire technical director Frank Klopas has overseen a whole host of changes to the playing roster this off-season.

After missing the MLS playoffs in 2010, the Fire have gone about changing their squad for the upcoming season, saying goodbye to no fewer than seven faces whilst bringing in 11 fresh names.

Brian McBride and CJ Brown have both retired, Wilman Conde has left for Atlas in Mexico, Nery Castillo joined Aris Thessaloiniki in Greece, Freddie Ljungberg signed with Celtic in Scotland, Peter Lowry was taken in the expansion draft by Portland Timbers and John Thorrington was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps in the same selection process.

With five of those players consistent first team selections, the new additions to the Fire roster aren't seen as big names, suggesting that the club is trying to put together a more balanced squad.

The most notable is veteran defender Cory Gibbs, who joins from New England Revolution. Daniel Paladini and Josip Mikulic were picked up as free agents whilst Jalil Anibaba, Jason Herrick, Davis Paul, Amani Walker, Yannick Salmon and Sam Arthur all come courtesy of either the SuperDraft or the supplemental draft with Pari Pantazopoulos coming from an open tryout and Jon Conway as a lone offseason trade.