United States men’s national team (USMNT) captain and former New York Red Bulls product Tyler Adams is closing in on a move to English Premier League giants Chelsea, per multiple reports on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old defensive midfielder has seen his stock steadily rise over the last year after making a move to then-Premier-League-side Leeds United. He captained the USMNT to the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup before falling to the Netherlands, a blue-chip, high-pedigree European soccer nation that is working to resurrect itself on the world soccer stage.
In the process, though, Adams became one of the faces of the burgeoning soccer scene in the United States and continued to gain traction as a top-tier midfielder on the world stage even as he watched Leeds get relegated from the Premier League in May. He also picked up a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out until September.
Adams maintained a desire to stay in the Premier League, which threw his market into high gear this summer that included interest from the likes of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and Everton.
It’s been a summer of transition for Chelsea, who had one of its most disappointing seasons this century by finishing 12th. They lost four key midfielders in Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
They brought in Enzo Fernandez, who is expected to be a key part of the midfield in more of a playmaking role for the foreseeable future, but a steadying, holding presence is still of need. Adams could be just that.
The Wappinger Falls, NY native began in the Red Bulls’ academy, graduating through the ranks to make his senior team and MLS debut in 2016 as a 16-year-old. After three seasons of anchoring New York’s midfield, he was transferred to the Red Bulls’ sister club in Leipzig, which participates in Germany’s top flight, the Bundesliga.
In Germany, he helped lead Leipzig to three Champions League appearances and an additional Europa League berth.
