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Matt Miazga completes English Premier League move to Chelsea

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The deal is done. Matt Miazga is officially a Chelsea player.

Chelsea and the New York Red Bulls both announced on Saturday morning that Miazga has officially joined the English Premier League side on a four-and-a-half-year deal, thus completing his move from MLS.

“I am very happy to sign for Chelsea, a world-famous club with a reputation for major success,” said Miazga. “I am delighted to be in the Premier League, the best league in the world, and can’t wait to meet my teammates and get going. I am still at the beginning of my career but I believe this is the place to develop and learn from some of the best players in the world.”

Miazga came up in the Red Bulls’ academy system, and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2013 at the age of 17. The 20-year-old centerback enjoyed tremendous success with the Red Bulls as a starter in 2015, helping them claim the Supporters’ Shield.

“It is a bittersweet day for the New York Red Bulls,” said Red Bulls sporting director Ali Curtis in a statement released by the club. “We are very happy for Matt to get the opportunity but it is tough to see him leave after coming through our academy to the first team – there is a different feel when one of your homegrown players leaves.

“We tried everything we could to keep Matt but we understand and respect his desire to play in Europe. Moving forward, we’ll either reinforce the team from within our existing player pool or we will acquire a player from the international market. Additionally, the proceeds of this transfer provide us with greater resources to put back into our youth system.”

Miazga also excelled in the ranks of U.S. Soccer last year, rapidly working his way up the ladder. Miazga began 2015 with the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team, but was promoted to the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team before making his first appearance for the senior U.S. Men’s National Team in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in November.

What do you think of Miazga signing with Chelsea? Do you see him finding minutes with the first team? How badly will the Red Bulls miss him this season?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • Yep and Cahill might be leaving in the summer as well. Granted they may buy Stones and they certainly have the resources to bring whoever but Miazga definitely has an opportunity here. He’ll have to earn it but the chance is there.

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  1. Certainly purchased as a trade-up candidate. And then, if his game grows rapidly he has the chance to actually play for Chelsea. Chelsea wins either way. And Matt can too.

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  2. We’ll see where he is in a month or two. Also, did MLS sell his contract? If he was under contract to the Bulls how did this happen?

    The Bulls invested a lot of time and money developing this player. If he somehow got sold out from under them then this sucks. If he was out of contract then it’s tough luck.

    Im a little tired of big teams targeting MLS players under contract and somehow getting them. There is an article here today about Diego Fagundez of the Revs. Diego has just signed a contract extension and I am assuming the Revs have no interest in selling him and yet there’s a story about his being in talks. How does this happen? he’s under contract for 3-4 years

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    • Red bulls recognized it is better to sell him seeing as he only had 1 year left on his contract rather than lose him for free at the end of the season. This way red bulls have more spending poet to help replace the hole Matt is leaving. However, the red bulls are taking an interesting approach and putting it towards youth development which is the best thing they could do.

      Spend more on youth development and you will reap the rewards exponentially.

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    • Hate to burst your balloon,. but contracts have little meaning in soccer, especially if a player wants to move. You can have a player under contract, but can’t force him to play his best. This happens all the time where a player gets a better offer and forces a trade.

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    • “Im a little tired of big teams targeting MLS players under contract and somehow getting them. There is an article here today about Diego Fagundez of the Revs. Diego has just signed a contract extension and I am assuming the Revs have no interest in selling him and yet there’s a story about his being in talks. How does this happen? he’s under contract for 3-4 years”

      Are you serious? Teams sign contract extensions because they want to keep a player as well as maximize sale value should they transfer a player. It happens everywhere. Revs signing an extension with Fegundez is an indication of the fact that the see value in Diego. EVERY TEAM would rather get rid of player UNDER CONTRACT than loose him after the contract is over because that means they will get some value for the reminder of his a contract. Only a fool would let a player go at the end of the contract rather than accept some value for the player (who is sure to leave) while he is still under contract.

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      • After reading his comment, I believe he may be unfamiliar with how the transfer market operates or may be new to the sport in general.

      • Anthony is clearly new to the sport. It’s not like in US sports. Generally speaking, in soccer, if a a team wants to buy your player and the player wants to go, you sell him. That’s especially true when the player has one year left on his deal and will be able to leave for free.

        And I’ve seen on a few sites people bemoaning that Miazga didn’t want to be a Red Bull etc. He’s probably making 15-20 times the $70k he was making at RBNY. I supposed that, out of loyalty, you would turn down a job offer where you could make 20 times more for doing the same job. Right?

  3. Forget about playing time. There’s nothing to be gained from being thrown to the wolves before even getting used to the completely different environment.
    Insecure eurosnobs can wait.

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  4. Yes Chelsea scoops up a lot of talent. Because they want to win. Miazga has to know that, or is it thought that Miazga isn’t smart enough to do simple google searches…? I would guess he believes he is or can be better than all of them. That’s the ambition we need. If you don’t relentlessly believe you are or will be the best, you never will be.

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    • I could respond to any one of the comments about Miazga’s mindset, but the sense I get from him is that he had this ambition of Europe for a while. It’s not as if he just all of a sudden had a breakout tournament or game and ultimately succumbed to the interest and pressure to make a move. Maybe we can partly credit that to Klinsy, but I don’t get the sense that is the main reason. He doesn’t have that air of being in over his head. Moreso, he sees this as a necessary step in his career path (if he wants to be great).

      Chelsea’s transfer policy is good business. It’s like anyone who’s a serial startup investor: 9/10 may fail, but if you get 1 that makes it big, it becomes entirely successful. They have a deliberate approach to their loaning strategy, and when it comes to clubs like Vitesse, the appearance of a partnership (though I think legitimized partnerships are not allowed). If the club and player are patient with the process, it will yield something .. potentially some first team action. Closing point: let’s let this thing play out and support the ambition and confidence of a guy who I think is the most ambitious player in our pool (other than Freddy Adu).

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  5. Think this is a bad move. Over the last few years Chelsea has hoarded and and wasted a lot of young talent. I hope I’m wrong and wish him the best of luck.

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  6. “Additionally, the proceeds of this transfer provide us with greater resources to put back into our youth system.”

    In it’s growth, I wish MLS aspired to initially become a feeder league rather than unrealistic goal of being a top league by 2022 (as Don Garber states).

    It’s exciting to watch a league where we see players get their start and become the stars of tomorrow. More youth players will want to sign here improving the product from the ground up. I also hope this $5 million dollar transfer fee helps remind some/all MLS owners this approach can be a profitable business model, too.

    As a fan going into this season, I’m much more interested in RedBull matches with their youth movement approach over watching the geriatric approach L.A. Galaxy have employed.

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    • im sorry old school, but I don’t get it, how has MLS not been a feeder league? weird, you want to aspire to be a feeder league. what the F….

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      • It’s not “weird” unless you have some sort of insecurity issue. “Weird” is saying you believe you’ll be a top league by 2022.

        By a literal sense, I understand any league outside the Top 3 is technically a feeder league but it should be evident I’m referring to the premise of actually producing young products developed here that are worth investing in by big clubs.

        For instance, on any given weekend I can turn on any Brazilian league match or Dutch league match and be thoroughly entertained. Watch them enough and you’ll eventually see a large sum of those players within the EPL, Serie A or La Liga. I can’t say the same about MLS.

        Personally, I find it weird I’m among fans and within a demographic MLS associates with enjoying watching players on their last leg and mailing in the last 12-24 months of their career, relaxing on the beach.

      • Old school, would you be so kind as to lay out your timeline as to when it will be reasonable to think that a professional league in North America can be considered as a top league in the world? By the time 2022 rolls around MLS will have been in existence for a quarter century. How many mor years is it going to take?

      • Old school, how many players from copa libertadores winning sides of the past seven years are playing in MLS, as compared to Europe? Before you go around slinging mud, like you’re the only guy that can watch all these leagues, you should find the answer to that question.

      • “Old school, would you be so kind as to lay out your timeline as to when it will be reasonable to think that a professional league in North America can be considered as a top league in the world?”

        MLS may never be a top league in it’s own country, let alone globally. I see you’re drunk on Garber’s Barnum and Bailey’s Circus kool-aid like the rest of the fan base that Garber panders to when signing has-been players months away from retirement.

        You’re talking about step 20 when you should be concerned with step 3. I have no date because the goal is complete unrealistic, the statement is completely ridiculous and the fans who believe Garber when he vomits that trash are complete idiotic.

        Asking the question itself highlights a disconnect from reality.

      • Ah, old school, you are the one that said you could sit down and watch Brazilian league matches and be entertained by all this future European talent. As it turns out, there are more players from the top teams in all of South America, playing in MLS than there are playing in Europe.

      • Old school, I should be offended at your Barnum and garber kool aid comment, but I’m not. You just don’t know any better, and it’s the cult like followings around the world that creates a strong soccer culture, and I’m sure you realize this, yet, you take the stance you do, which I think is to accept MLS as second rate, and hope that Americans playing for champions league teams will one day help the USA win a World Cup.

    • Why can’t both approaches, help the other? Perhaps having scouting tape of Miazga against a player like David Villa helped get some attention. Maybe having guys like Henry say have a look at this kid, helps too. I think there needs to be a balance but bringing in the right veterans can also help young players.

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      • “Why can’t both approaches, help the other?”

        Fair enough on that point, but I think we can agree that one approach has been employed over the other historically with MLS. If the league evolves into employing both I would have no issue as a fan and I’m hoping deals like Miazga encourage more of it.

      • When the MLS started 20 years ago there wasn’t any development league tied to MLS nor were their any academies for MLS clubs. The development league w/ MLS reserve teams only occurred in the past 2-3 years. The academies only came into existence within the last 5-10 years. It will take another 5-10 years before the academies can consistently produce pro ready talent year after year. In the meantime the league has had to subsidize the talent from abroad in order to make the league attractive enough to draw in investors and build a fan base….all while growing the number of clubs in the league.

        As the academies start producing more players at a higher quality level they’ll be more willing to sell/export some of their young talent abroad in order to 1) Finance the academies, 2) Increase their profit margins, & 3) Remain within the salary cap

        MLS will never completely move away from bringing in Big Name players who are towards the end of their careers, but there will be fewer 34+ players and more late 20s types.

        Starting a professional sports league, especially a sport that has never been hugely popular in the USA compared to other sports, takes time. When each MLS club has an academy system that begins at the U-10 age bracket and/or consistently produce a minimum of 3 pro ready players every year than we can consider the league in a position to be in the conversation of a top 10 league. IMO it’ll be another 10 years before we really reach a truly consistent and competitive level as compared with other leagues. But we are making progress.

      • OS – Lost in Space nailed it, but I’ll put it more succinctly. Historically, yes you are correct, but, currently, you are dead wrong about how much emphasis is being placed on developing youth players in MLS. Are we Holland or Brazil yet? Uh no, but I’m surprised you would make that comparison if you have as much knowledge as you imply that you do.

    • Overly pessimistic outlook on MLS. I don’t think MLS is going to be at the level of the top 5 leagues in Europe by 2022 but I think aiming for becoming the best league outside of Europe by that time is certainly realistic. At this point, outside of Europe I’d say only Mexico, Argentina and Brazil are clearly ahead of MLS although a few other leagues are probably comparable.

      This is the biggest economy in the world with a population of 320 million. As soccer becomes more popular here, our league will be one of the biggest and best in the world. I don’t know when that’ll happen exactly but it will and that should be MLS’s goal.

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  7. That’s a beautiful photo! For today, I’m not gonna care about playing time, loans, speculation, and all that mess…

    Just very very proud!! Not even as an RBNY fan, just as an American.

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  8. I hope, but I also really believe he will do well with Chelsea and become a regular fixture in the lineup. Best of fortunes, Matt!

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