- Slonina signed from Chicago Fire in 2022
- Went back on loan to Fire last season
- Pochettino has close eye on young American
WHAT HAPPENED?Chelsea seem to have settled on having Kepa Arrizabalaga as their No.1 going into the upcoming campaign, but that's not stopping Pochettino from evaluating the young 'keepers in their squad. Slonina has clearly caught the eye of the new Blues boss and has earned himself some pretty high praise.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking while on tour in Slonina's native USA, Pochettino said: "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. 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."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: There's no doubt the hype surrounding Slonina is justified. At just 19-years-old, he's already played 43 senior games for Chicago Fire as well as representing his country at senior level, making his USMNT debut in a 2-1 friendly loss to Serbia back in January
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT FOR SLONINA? Despite the high praise from his manager, it's unlikely the American will play much of a role in Chelsea's upcoming campaign. Another loan move, this time to a club in Europe or even domestically, is a realistic option.