Tyler Adams 'was in London' for Chelsea transfer before 'one thing' cost midfielder move to join USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge
United States international Tyler Adams has revealed how close he came to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2023, disclosing that he was actually in London ready to complete the transfer before it fell through at the last moment.
Following Leeds United's relegation from the Premier League, Adams was preparing to leave the club, having already proven himself capable of performing at the English top-flight level. Chelsea, with Mauricio Pochettino newly appointed as manager, showed significant interest in bringing the American midfielder to Stamford Bridge.
"I was very close. I was in London ready for the move to happen but some things fell through one way (or the other)," Adams told FIFA's official website. "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."
The collapse of the transfer was reportedly due to unfortunate injury problems that scuppered Pochettino's plans to bring in the midfielder. Instead of joining Chelsea, Adams ended up moving to Bournemouth in a £23 million ($30m) deal.
Despite missing out on the opportunity to work with Pochettino at club level, Adams has maintained a positive outlook on his career path. "So I ended up at Bournemouth, which I couldn't be more happy about now," he added.
Interestingly, Adams is now playing under Pochettino's guidance with the U.S. Men's National Team, after the Argentine coach took over the national side. Adams believes Pochettino is exactly what the team needs heading into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
"I think that he is going to bring a level of respect and belief in our team. Obviously, his resume speaks for itself and he's been able to establish so much success at different clubs," Adams explained. "Now being able to work with the national team and the talent pool we have, I think he's going to bring a winning culture and a winning mentality. I'm really excited about that. The way that he speaks about the game and what he views for our game in the future are also positive. As a fairly young team, it's important that we start to work towards those beliefs and create that culture."
Pochettino's tenure with the USMNT has not been without early challenges. The team recently suffered a surprising defeat to Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals, marking a disappointing start to his international coaching career. However, with the considerable talent available in the American squad, there remains significant optimism that Pochettino can make a positive impact as the team prepares for FIFA's flagship tournament next summer.
