Chelsea show no sign of slowing down in the transfer market as they get their plans in place for the 2024/25 campaign. United States international Caleb Wiley became the latest player to sign on the dotted line at Stamford Bridge after making the move from MLS side Atlanta United on Monday afternoon.
The left-back has penned a six-year contract in west London, with a club option for a further year. The 19-year-old has made quite the impression in the MLS since making his first-team bow in 2022, with his senior debut for the national team arriving 14 months later.
An attack-minded full-back who can also play further forward down the left flank, the Atlanta-born ace could potentially have a big influence in the final third for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea in the years ahead after contributing six goals and seven assists for Atlanta. Blues fans may indeed have to be patient when it comes to seeing Wiley play in a Chelsea shirt as he will represent the United States at the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games ahead of potentially staying in France in the 2024/25 season with a loan spell at Strasbourg looking a real possibility.
Very much strengthening Chelsea’s left-back options over the coming years, the west London club may have in fact finalised the position heading into the new season amid previous question marks ahead of the summer market. At a time when Ben Chilwell was out through injury and Marc Cucurella struggled for form, there was a lot of talk in the final few months of last season about Chelsea making a move for a left-back this summer.
Since then, Cucurella has rediscovered his top form and finished last campaign very strongly to give Chelsea hope going into the 2024/25 season. The ex-Brighton & Hove Albion certainly benefitted from his Chelsea form and took it into Euro 2024 as he played a starring role for Spain in Germany as they triumphed in the competition by beating England in the final.
Cucurella is perhaps in the driving seat for the left-back berth in Maresca’s Chelsea team as things stand, as he is capable of coming inside into the central areas or playing in a back three if it is to be one of Reece James or Malo Gusto who instead invert. While it will be Chilwell who initially gets the nod in pre-season with Cucurella on his summer break, Maresca’s thinking at left-back will become clear in the opening game of the season against Man City.
