Chelsea have reportedly reached a full agreement with Chicago Fire for Gabriel Slonina, with the American goalkeeping prodigy set to join in January.
According to Italian transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are set to sign goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who will likely arrive at Stamford Bridge at the start of next year. The Blues have struck a full agreement with Chicago Fire to sign the 18-year-old goalkeeper for an initial fee of $10 million that could potentially rise to $15 million through bonuses and add-ons.
Personal terms were already agreed between Slonina and Chelsea earlier this month. The player will fly to London on Sunday with his agent to undergo a medical and complete the paperwork that will see him finish the 2022 Major League Soccer season before joining Chelsea on January 1, 2023.
The 18-year-old prodigy is one of the best youngsters to emerge from the academy of the MLS club. Slonina swiftly rose through the youth levels to make his senior debut last August as a 17-year-old, making him the league’s youngest starting goalkeeper in history.
He has already cemented his position in the Chicago Fire first team and has already made 23 starts in the MLS this season, earning ten clean sheets to his name. The teenage goalkeeping sensation has represented the USA at youth level on multiple occasions and was a part of the senior camp as recently as last December.
Excl: Gaga Slonina to Chelsea, here we go! Agreement with Chicago Fire for $15m, add-ons included. Talented GK and his agent will fly to London on Sunday to complete medical and sign. ???? #CFC
Slonina will finish the season with Chicago before joining Chelsea on January 1. pic.twitter.com/g2l4Ksbsoj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2022
There have been rumblings of a high-profile European move for Slonina for months now, ever since he broke onto the scene and impressed for the Fire. However, it appears Chelsea have beaten a number of juggernauts, including Real Madrid, for the signature of the American goalkeeping prodigy.
Slonina is certainly a future star, and the Blues hope he will succeed No. 1, Edouard Mendy, in the future. The West London club see the American prospect as a valuable long-term investment. Chelsea currently have four goalkeepers on their books, with Mendy their first choice and Kepa Arrizabalaga the deputy to Mendy.
However, Kepa is expected to depart from Stamford Bridge this summer, with Napoli closing in on a loan arrangement that will see Chelsea cover a significant portion of the Spaniard’s wages as he vies for a spot in Spain’s 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.
Therefore, the route to first-team minutes may not be too farfetched for Slonina. That said, the 18-year-old shot-stopper will have to be patient for his chance at the beginning, with Marcus Bettinelli set to be promoted as a second-choice option if Kepa departs. But at just 18 years old, Slonina has time on his side to improve his game and contest for the No. 1 jersey.
