Caleb Wiley: Future USMNT star Chelsea hopes can become the next Alphonso Davies

The city of Atlanta is quickly becoming the center of American soccer, if it isn’t already. The local MLS club, Atlanta United, typically draws some of the largest crowds in the world. The Mercedez-Benz Stadium recently hosted two Copa America matches, including the opening match featuring Lionel Messi’s Argentina. And in the coming years, U.S. Soccer will establish its home base in the city with a new training complex.

Just a few years ago, none of this would have made sense. Back then, there was no huge stadium, no big crowds, no Atlanta United. There was no football culture in the city, only hope. And it was then that an 11-year-old Caleb Wiley joined Atlanta United’s academy for the team’s inaugural season.

Now 19, Wiley leaves his hometown as the club’s first true star. Having progressed from the academy to the reserves and now all the way to the first team, he is a real local success story. Atlanta United have already produced a Premier League star in Miguel Almiron, but now that he has shown his enormous potential in MLS, Wiley will be hoping to make a name for himself in the world’s biggest league with one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

He will be leaving one big city for another, swapping Atlanta for London and the red and black of his hometown for the famous blue of Chelsea. By signing Wiley, Chelsea are betting on his future and, based on what we have seen, it is not a bad bet.

But who is Wiley and why did Chelsea spend £8.5 million ($10.9 million) to sign him? GOAL tells you everything you need to know about the American teenager…