I almost signed £20m Leeds United man for Chelsea but injury issues saw the move called off
Leeds United eventually sold the midfielder to Bournemouth.
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Chelsea pulled out of a deal to sign Tyler Adams from Leeds United because the midfielder was injured.
Adams has endured a dismal year since leaving Leeds for Bournemouth last summer, having seen his £20million release clause activated by the Cherries. The midfielder managed just 121 minutes of Premier League football due to a hamstring injury and despite returning to play for the USA in this summer’s Copa America, was forced to undergo back surgery in July.
Chelsea had triggered that release clause before Bournemouth and looked set to sign Adams, but for the deal to fall through with Sky Sports claiming the two clubs ‘were unable to reach an agreement’. Pochettino was in charge at Stamford Bridge then but is now head coach of the USA and admits the London club pulled out due to fitness issues, having opted against calling the 25-year-old up as he continues to recover from that surgery.
"We know very well we need to look after him [Adams], to have [him] in the best condition for 2026 [World Cup],” Pochettino told GOAL. “I know him very well because I think it's public that we wanted to sign him in Chelsea. When we arrived in Chelsea, I remember that in USA, in Chicago, we had a conversation.
“We knew and after, the club didn't sign him because he was injured. That is why, in the end, we cannot but we already know and we know how important but we need to provide the good platform for him to get [to] his best."
Adams started his first game of the season in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford but will not be joining his fellow Americans for two games against Jamaica in this November break. That means no reunion with former club teammate Brenden Aaronson, who will fly out to represent his country.
Both left Leeds in 2023 with Aaronson joining Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin on loan for the season. But the attacking midfielder opted to return in the summer just gone and has impressed in the Championship under Daniel Farke, registering four goals and one assist in 15 league appearances.
The American is one of several Leeds players jetting off on international duty this week, and one of several long-haul journeymen alongside Japan’s Ao Tanaka and Junior Firpo of the Dominican Republic. The likes of Dan James, Joe Rodon and Willy Gnonto have much shorter journeys to contend with and Farke will hope all return unscathed ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Swansea City.