Tonight is the “homecoming” game for young Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina. The native of suburban Addison, Illinois will likely start in goal for the Blues when they take on Borussia Dortmund at Soldier Field in Chicago. It’s the same venue where he was stellar all season long, last term, for the local club, Chicago Fire FC.
In 2022, Chelsea purchased Slonina for a what was a Fire club record sale of $10 million. He could be the Blues GK of the future, but it’s looking like that future is more down the line for the 19-year-old USMNT member.
Club Friendly FYIs
Chelsea FC vs Borussia Dortmund
Kickoff: 7:30pm CST Wed. Aug. 2, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL, USA
Team News: Chelsea FC Borussia Dortmund
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea FC Borussia Dortmund
Buy Low, Sell High: the BVB Way: go here
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Slonina is one of the players who have saturated coverage of over the past couple years. You can read profiles/features, on this site, of Gabriel Pawel “Gaga” Slonina here, here and here. And in plenty of other places on The Sports Bank too. He’s made eight appearances for Chelsea’s U21s so far, but has yet to feature for the senior team.
And given what first year Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said yesterday afternoon, it sounds like that senior team debut will have to wait until at least 2024-25.
I think he is a young player that came from Chicago, of course I need to see more because he met us here on the tour, similar to Lesley (Ugochukwu, the young, promising midfielder who Chelsea announced the signing of yesterday),” Pochettino responded to a reporter query about the player.
“We need more time to discover how they are and of course, if the club sign it’s because they believe in him and that he is a great talent and we need to decide if it is better to continue with us or what is the best way for him to grow and be one of the greatest keepers in the world.”
It was a very informational Pochettino press conference, staged at the team’s hotel, the Waldorf-Astoria, just off Chicago’s world-famous Magnificent Mile. It remains to be seen who will be the No. 2 behind Kepa Arrizalabaga this upcoming season. Edouard Mendy has exited to Saudi Arabia (who hasn’t? it feels like this summer).
So where will Gaga Slonina go, if/when he is loaned out?
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano said to Caught Offside’s The Debrief podcast:
“The Chelsea coaching staff are very happy with young keeper Gabriel Slonina, but he seems likely to be loaned out.” (h/t Chelsea Chronicle)
“He’s a very talented, hard working boy, but he’s still only 19 and so experience will be important for him. From what I understand there is a very advanced negotiation with Belgian club Eupen for him to go there on loan for one season – they are the favourites, but let’s see if other clubs enter the race.”
Interesting. Eupen is certainly an obscure name, in the greater scheme of things, but a chance for Gaga Slonina to have regular first team football, anywhere that might be, would be great for all involved.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.