Chelsea sign USMNT left-back Caleb Wiley from Atlanta United for £8.5m | Chelsea

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign US national team left-back Caleb Wiley for a fee believed to be £8.5million.

The 19-year-old will join Chelsea from Atlanta United on a six-year deal. Wiley is expected to join Strasbourg, the Ligue 1 club who are part of the same Blueco ownership group as Chelsea, on a season-long loan.

Wiley came through the ranks of Atlanta’s academy and has been a member of the MLS club’s first team since 2022. He made his senior debut for the USMNT against Mexico last October.

“Caleb embodies the path we envisioned when we launched this club,” Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a statement. “Born and raised in Atlanta, he joined our Academy at age 11 and has continued to win every step of the way.

“During this period, he made his national team debut and was selected to represent our country at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He can now continue his career at a major European club. We wish Caleb the best in this new challenge of his career and we look forward to following his journey.”

In two and a half seasons with Atlanta’s first team, Wiley has six goals and seven assists in 77 MLS games, including one goal and one assist in 21 starts this season. He is now in Paris as part of the U.S. team for the Olympic soccer tournament.

The left-back is Chelsea’s sixth summer signing under new manager Enzo Maresca, following Omari Kellyman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu and Renato Veiga who have already joined the club this season. Like Guiu and Veiga, Wiley fits Chelsea’s model of signing young players on long-term deals. Guiu signed a six-year contract at the age of 18, while Veiga signed a seven-year deal at the age of 20.