The Chicago Fire have announced that the club has signed defender Tim Ward and forward Stefan Dimitrov. Both players will be available for selection on Saturday, March 21 as the Fire kickoff their 2009 MLS season against FC Dallas. Per team and league policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Ward comes to the Fire as a former Generation adidas and U.S. U-17 Residency product. The Wisconsin native was selected in the first round of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft and played for former Fire head coach Bob Bradley during his rookie season in New York with the NY/NJ MetroStars.

In 2006, Ward was traded to Columbus were he spent two seasons before once again being traded, this time to Colorado for the 2008 season. Ward's international experience includes representing the USA at the U-23, U-20, U-18, and U-17 levels. While with the U.S. U-20 squad, he played in the Busan Cup in South Korea, and at the Milk Cup in Ireland. In 2004, Ward led the U-20 team in appearances with 17, starting in 14. Ward played one season for St. Louis University in 2004 before singing an MLS contract in 2005.

"Tim is a player that has competed at a high level starting at a young age," said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. "His size and athletic ability will help him on the right side of the backline, as well as moving forward into the midfield"