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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea book medical for wonderkid goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina after £12m deal agreed with Chicago Fire

Chelsea are set to complete the £12million signing of wonderkid goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire.

The 18-year-old was on Sunday morning given the go-ahead to fly to London, complete a medical and sign the paperwork on Sunday morning.

The Blues fended off rival approaches from Real Madrid and Wolves, and will send then goalkeeper back to Chicago on loan to complete a sensational breakthrough season in the MLS.

The United States Under-20 international has already played 34 senior games and is chasing the clean sheet record in his home country's top flight.

With 10 clean sheets already, the teen star is chasing the league's record with seven more needed from 11 games to take the crown.

Chelsea could see Slonina join up with the squad on January 1 where his future will be assessed depending on the status of the club's other goalkeepers.

The goalkeeper is the Boehly-Clearlake consortium's third major signing after they secured Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly from Manchester City and Napoli.

It takes the club's spending over £100m with three more signings, two central defenders and a wing-back, targeted before the transfer window closes next month.

Napoli continue to chase the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga on a season-long loan but are in discussions over the wage and loan fee on offer.

Edouard Mendy will continue to be Chelsea's number one next season and they are keen to offer him a new contract later in the season.

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