Chelsea have completed the signing of teenage goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina from MLS outfit Chicago Fire.
As confirmed by the club’s official website, Chelsea have been successful in capturing the services of goalkeeping prodigy Gabriel Slonina from MLS club Chicago Fire. The 18-year-old will spend the next six months on loan at the American outfit before returning to London at the start of 2023.
Slonina came through the Chicago Fire academy before making his first-team debut in August 2021. Since then, the teenage custodian has made 34 appearances for the club, managing 14 clean sheets in the process. Of the 34 appearances, 23 have come in the ongoing MLS campaign.
Slonina has represented the United States Men’s National team across all age-group levels and has also been called up to the senior squad but is yet to make his debut. A highly-rated young goalkeeper, the 18-year-old had been on Chelsea’s radar for a while now. Indeed, the Blues had been in talks to sign him before the change of ownership earlier this year, which led to the threat of the deal collapsing.
Real Madrid entered the fray for Slonina’s signing and tried to capitalise on Chelsea’s tricky situation by making a move for Slonina. However, the west London outfit clawed their way back into the race and have now completed the signing of the 18-year-old prodigy.
Welcome to Chels, @GabrielSlonina! ? pic.twitter.com/95F9qsCfhX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 2, 2022
As per the official statement issued by Chelsea, Slonina has signed a six-year contract with the club, which will run until the summer of 2028. The 18-year-old will return to Chicago Fire on loan to complete the remainder of the MLS season before returning to Chelsea at the start of 2023.
According to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have paid around $15 million (£12.3 million), including add-ons, to sign Slonina from Chicago Fire. The 18-year-old’s arrival is confirmed a mere hours after the Blues announced that they have reached an agreement to sign Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa.
Slonina follows Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly into the doors at Stamford Bridge. The 18-year-old’s arrival should all but guarantee the departure of Kepa Arrizabalaga, with a move to Napoli on the cards for the Spaniard. Chelsea will likely bank on Marcus Bettinelli as their second-choice goalkeeper for the first half of the season until Slonina returns to take over the role of Edouard Mendy’s understudy.
