Premier League heavyweights Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing 19-year-old American full-back prodigy Caleb Wiley from MLS club Atlanta United.
According to a report by The Athletic, Caleb Wiley is the subject of interest from Chelsea. The Blues have been scouring the market for a left-back heading into the summer transfer window. And they have identified the 19-year-old Atlanta United full-back prodigy as a target.
Who is Caleb Wiley?
Caleb Wiley is the latest highly-rated American wonderkid to rise in prominence in the USA. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, the youngster began his youth career at the Decatur-based DDYSC Wolves before joining Atlanta United as an 11-year-old in 2016. Since then, he has come leaps and bounds at the MLS club.
The 19-year-old progressed through the ranks in the youth division at Atlanta United before breaking into the first-team squad in the 2022 season. The youngster is now a regular for the MLS outfit, turning out 20 times thus far this term while chipping in with one goal and two assists.
The American full-back prodigy made his senior bow for the USA in April 2023 and has made two appearances for the USMNT. Meanwhile, Caleb Wiley’s progress at Atlanta United has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. Chelsea will be one of his prospective suitors in the summer transfer window.
London calling?
Chelsea’s interest in Caleb Wiley is understandable. The Blues have been scouring the market for a left-back heading into the summer transfer window. They have already parted ways with Ian Maatsen. In addition, Marc Cucurella faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge amid his links with Manchester United.
So, it behoves Chelsea to scour the market for a left-back, with Wiley emerging as a viable target. The 19-year-old American full-back prodigy can learn the ropes from Ben Chilwell before taking over as the first-choice left-back in a few years.
If Chilwell’s fitness issues continue, Wiley will also have the opportunity to secure regular game time immediately. However, with talks yet to advance, it will be interesting to see how this story progresses amid Chelsea’s links with the Atlanta United prospect.
