Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Atlanta United teenager Caleb Wiley.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the 19-year-old left-back is set to join Chelsea for a fee of £8.5m. It is believed his contract will run until 2031, and there is already a plan in place for his development.
The Blues hope to send Wiley on loan to Strasbourg next season as they look to give him more experience of first-team football in Europe before integrating him into the squad at Chelsea. The move to Stamford Bridge marks what has been an exciting few days for the American.
On Monday, Wiley was named in the United States’ squad for the Paris Olympic Games. The full-back is highly thought of in American football circles and has already been capped twice by the first-team but missed out on a place at Copa America this time around.
In the MLS, Wiley has already managed to establish himself as a first-team player and has made 84 appearances for Atlanta. During that time, he has bagged six goals and seven assists.
While he predominantly plays as a left-back, Wiley has also been known to have featured on the left side of midfield and even as a left winger. Chelsea’s move for the American is thought to have been assisted by the Blues’ strong relationship with Atalanta.
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Some may raise an eyebrow at the seven-year contract that is set to be handed over to Wiley, but this strategy has become a trademark of Todd Boehly’s ownership at Stamford Bridge.
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