Tyler Adams opens up about failed £20M Chelsea move

Tyler Adams has shared the details of how close he came to joining Chelsea during the 2023 summer transfer window, only for a deal to fall through at the last minute. The USMNT midfielder, who was playing for Leeds United at the time, saw his £20 million release clause activated following the club’s relegation to the Championship.

Chelsea had shown significant interest in Adams, triggering the clause and reportedly agreeing on personal terms with his agent. The player was even in London, ready to complete his medical and finalize the move. However, despite the deal looking set, it ultimately collapsed.

The reason behind the breakdown? Adams was recovering from hamstring surgery at the time, and the transfer stalled due to medical concerns. Adams would go on to miss the entire Premier League season following another surgery, and by the time he was fit again, he had moved to Bournemouth. Meanwhile, Chelsea signed Moisés Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, bolstering their midfield in the same transfer window.

During an interview with FIFA, Adams mentioned the move that never was while speaking about U.S. head coach Pochettino. "It's been great so far; I've had so many great conversations with him since coming into camp," Adams explained.

"Obviously, this is our first time meeting. We had a previous conversation before when I had the possibility of going to Chelsea, so we were familiar with each other, but not to the extent we are now."

Asked how close he came to signing for the Blues, Adams recalled: "I was very close. I was in London, ready for the move to happen, but some things fell through one way (or the other).

"A lot of people have to sign off on certain things for a transfer to happen, and one thing fell through, so they went with other options. So I ended up at Bournemouth, which I couldn't be more happy about now."

Adams made just 4 appearances during his debut season after being beset by a back issue barely a month after returning from his hamstring injury. However, despite missing the opening two months of this campaign, the midfielder has become a regular starter under Andoni Iraola.

Do you think Tyler Adams would have thrived at Chelsea if his transfer went through, or was Bournemouth the better fit for him?