Chelsea can wait. Caleb Wiley‘s precedence over the subsequent two and half weeks is to get his arms on a medal on the Paris Olympics.
The United States defender has already secured a move to the Premier League with Chelsea — now he has his eyes fastened on one other prize.
“A medal. That is what we’ll combat for,” Wiley instructed The Related Press. “And I’ve full perception that we’ll do it.”
The U.S. males’s group performs on the Olympics for the primary time since 2008 when it takes on host nation France, one of many match favorites, in Marseille on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old Wiley is prone to be the topic of elevated curiosity from Chelsea followers, not less than, after he accomplished his transfer to the two-time Champions League winner from Atlanta United FC on Monday in a deal worth a reported $11 million.
The left-back mentioned he had been inundated with messages for the reason that announcement and has not been in a position to reply to all of them whereas the U.S. prepares for its Olympic return. However reasonably than the switch distracting him from the Video games, he mentioned Olympics had helped take his thoughts off the most important transfer of his profession whereas the main points of the switch had been being finalized, months after he realized of Chelsea’s curiosity.
“I believe for me crucial factor was staying current. It has been an ongoing factor for some time now, for a number of months,” Wiley mentioned. “Simply realizing the place I used to be, staying centered with Atlanta on the time after which now with the Olympics has helped me form of simply be within the second.
“I believe it is essential to, to take pleasure in it first. this does not occur to too many youngsters and so I believe [you need] to embrace the sensation.”
As nicely France, which is coached by Thierry Henry, the People have been drawn with Guinea and New Zealand in Group A.
U.S. coach Marko Mitrovic mentioned his gamers ought to embrace the chance of taking part in France in its opening recreation, however would not imagine it can outline his group’s match.
“I believe as soon as we replicate on our lives sooner or later, we might be proud that we play this recreation,” Mitrovic mentioned. “We’re very grateful to play that recreation tomorrow. It will keep without end for us, nevertheless it’s solely one in all three video games that we have now within the group stage and the factors of the sport depend the identical as within the different video games.”
