Official, confirmed. US born left back Caleb Wiley joins Chelsea for £8.5m plus sell-on clause from Atlanta United.

Chelsea has officially announced the signing of United States international Caleb Wiley from Major League Soccer (MLS) side Atlanta United. The 19-year-old left-back, who was born and raised in Atlanta, has signed a six-year contract with the option of a further 12 months. The transfer fee is reported to be around £8.5 million.

Wiley, a product of Atlanta United’s academy, joined the club at the age of 11 and progressed through the youth ranks to make his professional debut with Atlanta United 2 in 2020. He made the transition to Atlanta’s first team in 2022 and quickly established himself as a regular, making 85 appearances in all competitions and recording six goals and nine assists.

The young defender had a breakout second MLS season in 2023, earning a call-up to the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and becoming the second Atlanta Homegrown to do so. He was also named to the United States Men’s Olympic Team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Wiley is expected to join BlueCo side Strasbourg on loan in the coming weeks, where he will gain valuable top-flight experience in Ligue 1.

Chelsea’s co-director of recruitment and talent, Joe Shields, said: “Caleb is an exciting young player who has already achieved a lot in his career, and we are delighted to have him join our club. We look forward to seeing him develop further in the coming years.”

The signing of Wiley is part of Chelsea’s ongoing strategy to recruit and develop young talents, and he joins a growing list of promising young players at the club.