Chelsea are set to sign the United States defender Caleb Wiley.
According to a report from the Athletic, Chelsea has now reached an agreement with Atlanta United for the highly-rated defender and they will pay a fee of around £8.5 million for him.
The defender will sign a contract with Chelsea until the summer of 2031.
The 19-year-old is highly rated in the United States, and it will be interesting to see if he can establish himself as an important first-team player for Chelsea in the coming season. The defender is, unlikely to be a part of the first-team squad at Chelsea in the upcoming season and he will head out on loan to their sister club Strasbourg in order to secure regular first-team football.
Wiley needs to play regularly at this stage of his career and Chelsea will not be able to provide him with that platform. Joining the French outfit on loan would be ideal for his development.
Meanwhile, a move to Chelsea will be an excellent opportunity for the young defender, and he will look to prove himself in the Premier League in the near future. He has the tools to develop into a reliable performer for Chelsea and it remains to be seen whether they can handle his development carefully.
Chelsea have shown a willingness to invest in talented young players since the change of ownership, and they are clearly looking to add to the formidable pool of young talent already at the club.
It will be interesting to see if the 19-year-old can fulfil his potential at Stamford Bridge in the near future. The reported £8.5 million outlay would look like a major bargain if the defender manages to fulfil his potential with the Blues.
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