Gabriel Slonina’s rise from 14 prodigy to start in MLS at the age of 17 is not something that many Chelsea fans will have been paying attention to – until he signed for the Blues earlier this summer.
It’s an amazing story, and the Evening Standard sat down with him for a great interview about how he reached this point.
He recounts the moment he got a phone call from Petr Cech, who was organising the move under the previous ownership. Understandably, Slonina couldn’t believe it was really the legendary goalie on the line.
“I almost thought it was fake [when Cech called]. I had to listen in to make sure it was him, luckily I didn’t hang up. I couldn’t believe that I was talking to Petr Cech so to listen to him and his advice was an honour.”
“I almost thought it was fake [when Cech called]. I had to listen in to make sure it was him, luckily I didn’t hang up. I couldn’t believe that I was talking to Petr Cech so to listen to him and his advice was an honour.”
It’s a sweet story, and we hope that Cech managed to give the youngster some advice over the phone. By the time the Chicago Fire stopper’s transfer was completed, Cech had already been booted by the new ownership, who clearly still liked the idea of signing the future USA number one.
He will remain in Chicago until the end of the MLS season, and then his next move is anyone’s guess…
