Field Level Media
03 Aug 2022, 06:19 GMT+10
Chicago Fire goalkeeper prodigy Gabriel "Gaga" Slonina is headed to the Premier League.
The MLS club agreed Tuesday to a franchise-record, multimillion-dollar transfer fee with England's Chelsea FC.
The 18-year-old homegrown player will remain with the Fire on loan for the rest of the 2022 MLS season.
Slonina becomes the youngest player in Chicago history to sign with a club in a top-five European league.
"We're very proud and happy to see Gaga reach this milestone moment in his career," Fire sporting director Georg Heitz said. "Since joining the Club, Gaga has embodied what it means to be a Chicago Fire player. In addition to his incredible talent, he is mature beyond his years, extremely hard working, and a fantastic teammate. Gaga is a role model to many young aspiring footballers in Chicago, and this transfer demonstrates that a player can progress to the first team from our Academy before joining one of the biggest clubs in the world."
Slonina signed with Chicago at 14, becoming the second-youngest signing in MLS history behind Freddy Adu with D.C. United in 2004.
"I joined this Club with ambitions of playing at the highest level and it's been a dream come true to wear the Chicago Fire jersey," Slonina said. "This Club has become my second home, my second family, and there are so many people that have played a big role in helping me get to where I am today. I'm so thankful for all the support that I've received from my family, coaches, teammates, and everyone associated with the Club. It's been an incredible honor to work alongside each one of you."
Slonina made his first start for Chicago at age 16 on Aug. 4, 2021, in a 0-0 draw with New York City FC, becoming the youngest goalie in MLS history to notch a start, a win and a clean sheet. He finished the 2021 season with four shutouts in 11 starts.
Slonina has 10 clean sheets through 23 starts in 2022. The Fire return to action on Saturday at Charlotte FC.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Charlotte Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Charlotte Star.
More InformationZAGREB, Croatia: Authorities have said that a weekend bus crash near Varazdin in Croatia killed 12 passengers and injured 32.The ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. will participate in a joint military exercise in mid-October with India, less than 62 miles from ...
SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea has launched a domestically manufactured lunar orbiter that took off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space ...
MOSCOW, Russia: A leading Russian scientist in the field of hypersonic flight, Dr. Alexander Shiplyuk, has been arrested on suspicion ...
LOS ANGELES, California: During a meeting that was disrupted by protesters this week, the Los Angeles City Council voted to ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. Justice Department announced this week that former Puerto Rico governor Wanda Vazquez has been arrested in ...
NEW YORK, New York - Stocks were decidedly mixed in the U.S. on Tuesday as investors struggled to make a ...
DELHI, India: Dubbed the country's Warren Buffett, India's best-known stock investor and self-made billionaire, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, died on August 14 ...
SAO PAULO, Brazil: Brazil's central bank chief Roberto Campos Neto has said that he believes credit cards will cease to ...
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia - Stocks in China were flat to lower on Tuesday as investors weighed up the disappointing economic ...
LONDON, England: Reports from the UK's opposition Labour Party said its leader, KeirStarmer, will call for a freeze on energy ...
MIAMI, Florida: Carnival cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise, Princess Cruises and Cunard, have made plans to drop mandatory COVID-19 testing ...