It may not be official, official. But Matt Miazga’s impending signing with Chelsea in the English Premier League was all but confirmed Friday with the Premier League club’s interim manager Guus Hiddink saying in a press conference that New York Red Bulls defender would join Chelsea as a “squad player” with a chance to earn first-team minutes.
We are still waiting on official confirmation that Miazga, the 20-year-old Homegrown center back, has been signed by Chelsea but it does put an end to speculation that he would possibly be loaned out after his signing. At least for now, it appears that Miazga will stay put in London, with a potential loan move happening for the 2016-17 season.
"We don't rush him but he will be one of the squad members for the future," Hiddink said of Miazga, as reported by ESPN FC. "He's a young guy stepping up to the national team and it's always good to have such players here so you can see what they are capable of in training.
"He's a young player, a promising player – let's see if he can get himself to the high demands of this club and the Premier League."
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Rumors of Miazga's interest in trying his luck over in Europe popped up in December after reports that Chelsea and other English teams were tracking him. Since he has a Polish passport, he wouldn't need to obtain a UK work permit.
Miazga has been a staple of the youth national team program, representing the US in the U-20 World Cup last year, and he broke into the senior USMNT in November in a World Cup qualifier against St. Vincent & the Grenadines. He recently left the national team’s January camp to head to England for a medical evaluation by his new club.
At 18, he signed a Homegrown Player contract in 2013 and has since appeared in 38 matches for New York.
