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Chelsea in hunt to sign Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina - report
Chelsea are one of three Premier League sides looking to sign Chicago Fire’s teenager goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, according to mlssoccer.com.
The 18-year-old has already made 25 appearances for the MLS franchise but the Blues, along with Wolves and Southampton, face a tough battle to beat off Real Madrid in the transfer race.
Slonina’s agent, Jaime Garcia, has admitted that the La Liga giants and Champions League winners have already made a move for his client that Fire rejected but another bid is expected to be made.
“It should be an honour for Chicago, and MLS, to have Real Madrid take notice in one of their players,” Garcia said. “We are hoping Chicago can find an agreement with Real Madrid to realize Gabriel’s dream of playing for this club.
“With respect to other clubs and other offers – we’ve received many and we are gracious to those clubs – but you cannot say no to Real Madrid.”
Massive for MLS
For a very long time, the MLS has been the place where players from Europe go to enjoy the final years of their career to get an easy ride, a big paycheck and a taste of the American lifestyle.
But this move may just change all of that and it could open the floodgates for the United States’ best young talents to make the move to Europe.
For Slonina to be linked with a move to Real Madrid will feel like a dream to the teenager but he isn’t the only player from the MLS to have Europe in his sights.
We’ve already seen Rangers sign Jamie Sands from New York City, the 2021 champions, and Valentin Castellanos could leave the same side for a Premier League move this summer too.
Maybe now is the time for all Premier League sides to be sending their scouts to the States in a bid to find the next best thing from across the pond, which will also boost overseas merchandise sales too.
In other Chelsea news, Thomas Tuchel wants the Blues to ounce and sign one of Eintracht Frankfurt’s young midfielders who already has Under-19 international experience at 17.