Official announcement
The record transfer is now official. Chicago Fire have sold Gabriel Slonina to Premier League giants Chelsea in a deal worth $10 million initially plus $5 million in performance-based add-ons. After signing a six-year contract with Chelsea, the Premier League club will loan the goalkeeper back to the Chicago Fire where he will finish the 2022 Major League Soccer season.
Once all bonuses are met, Slonina, who is the most valuable keeper of his age group, will become the most expensive U19 goalkeeper in history with an overall transfer fee of €14.6m, breaking a record set by Sébastien Frey in the 1998/99 season. In Chelsea’s case, Slonina will also become more expensive than Thibaut Courtois, who the club signed for €8.95 million from KRC Genk in 2011. Courtois was initially loaned to Atlético Madrid, from where he kickstarted his world-class career. Slonina is expected to take a similar career path with the club, and despite Kepa leaving, the club will most likely be loaned out with an eye to develop as a long-term replacement for current no.1 Edouard Mendy.
Slonina has named Manuel Neuer as a keeper he has looked up to in an interview with Transfermarkt last December. “Neuer remodeled the game,” Slonina said when asked about the German keeper. “I want to be far out of the line and use my feet, play like an extra defender for my team. It is what I model myself after. But I take a bit from every keeper.”
Frey, Slonina, Courtois & Co. – The most expensive U19 keepers in history
Jan Oblak | From NK Olimpija to Benfica in 2010/11 | Fee: €4m
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Steve Simonsen | From Tranmere Rovers to Everton in 1998/99 | Fee: €4.95m
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Gabriel Brazão | From Parma to Inter Milan in 2019/20 | Fee: €6m
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Alessandro Russo | From Genoa to Sassuolo in 2019/20 | Fee: €7m
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Bernd Leno | From Stuttgart to Bayer Leverkusen in 2011/12 | Fee: €7.5m
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Alban Lafont | From Tolouse to Fiorentina in 2018/19 | Fee: €8m
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Andriy Lunin | From Zorya Luhansk to Real Madrid in 2018/19 | Fee: €8.5m
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Thibaut Courtois | From Genk to Chelsea in 2011/12 | Fee: 8.95m
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Gabriel Slonina | From Chicago Fire to Chelsea in 2022 | Fee: €9.1m
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Deal can reach €14.6m with add-ons
Sébastien Frey | From Cannes to Inter Milan in 1998/99 | Fee: €14m
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Slonina to Chelsea – Chicago Fire have ready-made replacement
Developed by the Fire, Slonina will also become the most expensive outgoing transfer in the club’s history. The current record is held by Ignacio Aliseda; the Argentine left-winger was sold for around $4 million to Swiss side Lugano in January. The Fire, in the meantime, already have a ready-made replacement within their squad in 18-year-old Chris Brady, who is a current U20 US men’s national team player.
Leno, Cech & Co. – Goalkeepers with the highest cumulative transfer fees
20 Jordan Pickford – Transfers: 1 – Fee: €28.5m
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Last updated: 2 Augugst 2022
20 Fabián Carini – Transfers: 4 – Fees: €28.5m
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18 Emiliano Viviano – Transfers: 8 – Fees: €28.8m
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17 Rui Patrício – Transfers: 2 – Fees: €29.5m
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16 Manuel Neuer – Transfers: 1 – Fee: €30m
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15 Claudio Bravo – Transfers: 3 – Fees: €31.2m
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14 Edouard Mendy – Transfers: 2 – Fees: €31.6m
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13 Petr Cech – Transfers: 4 – Fees: €32.6m
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12 Neto – Transfers: 3 – Fees: €36.5m
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11 Bernd Leno – Transfers: 4 – Fees: €36.6m
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The fee for Leno’s Fulham transfer can rise to €9.5 million with add-ons, which would bring the cumulative transfer fee up to €42.5 million.
10 Angelo Peruzzi – Transfers: 2 – Fees: €36.9m
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9 Ederson – Transfers: 2 – Fees: €40.5m
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8 Roberto – Transfers: 7 – Fees: €42m
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7 Thibaut Courtois – Transfers: 3 – Fees: €45.2m
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6 Aaron Ramsdale – Transfers: 3 – Fees: €49.4m
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5 Sébastien Frey – Transfers: 4 – Fees: €49.8m
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4 Jasper Cillessen – Transfers: 3 – Fees: €51.2m
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3 Gianluigi Buffon – Transfers: 1 – Fee: €52.9m
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2 Alisson – Transfers: 2 – Fees: €70.5m
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1 Kepa – Transfers: 1 – Fee: €80m
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