Promising USMNT goalkeeper Gaga Slonina joins Barnsley on one-year loan from Premier League side Chelsea FC

After spending the 2023-24 season on loan at Eupen in the Belgian first-division, U.S. international Gaga Slonina has joined League One side Barnsley FC for the 2024-25 season on loan from Chelsea.

Slonina suffered relegation with Eupen last campaign, but made 34 appearances for the Belgian side in his first full-season in Europe.

The 20-year-old joined the Blues in August 2022 from MLS side Chicago Fire, but has yet to appear for Chelsea's senior team. He was loaned back to the Fire for the remainder of the MLS season in 2022, finishing the season with 22 matches played. He would join Chelsea's academy side through the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign before being sent on loan to Eupen. Slonina has one senior appearance with the U.S. Men's National Team.

Posting on social media, Slonina exclaimed his excitement to secure the move, saying he's "happy to be here," while posing at Oakwell Stadium in a series of photos.

Slonina spent his summer in Paris with the U23 U.S. men's national team at the Olympic Games. He, however, did not make an appearance as he was deemed second-string in net by manager Marko Mitrovic.

The U.S. were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Morocco.

The 2024-25 League One campaign for Barnsley began Friday against Mansfield. Slonina's first match, where he could debut, will arrive in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, Aug. 13 against Wigan.