Caleb Wiley officially transfers to Chelsea

The loan army gains an ATLien

It’s official. Caleb Wiley is off to Chelsea. The deal is for a reported $10.9m fee. That fee makes Wiley the 15th-most expensive outbound transfer in MLS history and the fifth-most expensive homegrown transfer. Only Gaga Slonina, Brenden Aaronson, Alphonso Davies and Ricardo Pepi had higher fees. Wiley is also now the fourth-highest (or fifth-highest depending on the source) outbound transfer in Atlanta United history behind Miguel Almiron, Thiago Almada, Pity Martinez and Luiz Araujo.

Wiley will presumably be loaned to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg immediately upon arrival. Chelsea, historically a mid-table club with as many English First Division titles as Sunderland, play in the Premier League. They’re most famous for loaning out players to other teams and having Didier Drogba once, traits they share with CF Montreal.

Wiley, still somehow just 19, played 5726 minutes over the past three seasons as both a winger and left back. Wiley began his time in Atlanta as a member of the club’s inaugural U-12 Academy Team in 2016. Wiley began his MLS career in Atlanta by scoring in the 2022 season opener, his first-ever MLS game.

Atlanta has already moved to find at least a temporary replacement for Wiley by bringing in Portuguese left back Pedro Amador. Amador is set to make his debut during Atlanta’s upcoming Leagues Cup group stage games.

UPDATE: Chelsea has also officially announced the move. Wiley’s deal is for six years.