Who is Matt Miazga, the 20-year-old American who just signed for Chelsea?

At risk of gearing-up the hype machine too much too early, American soccer fans would be excused for being excited about one recent piece of business in the Premier League’s January transfer window.
Matt Miazga, a 20-year-old American central defender for the New York Red Bulls, signed for reigning Premier League Champions Chelsea late last week in a deal worth somewhere in the region of $7 million.

“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.”

Chelsea have become known in recent years for singing young prospects and loaning them out with a view of selling them on for profit in the future, but interim manager Guus Hiddink says Miazga won’t be loaned-out for the remainder of this season. That doesn’t mean he won’t be next season, it just means the club wants to see how he develops first.

So what does this all mean for Miazga? Despite some seriously promising performances in MLS last season, it’s a big jump to walk into Chelsea’s starting lineup. That said, there’s probably not a better time for him to attempt to do it.
With John Terry and Gary Cahill 35 and 30, respectively, central defence is an area of concern for Chelsea. 21-year-old Kurt Zouma is one of those who will step in and the team may venture into the transfer market to find a partner for him, but there aren’t that many notable central defenders available. The 6’4″, 180-pound Miazga will, at the very least, have an opportunity to stake his claim.
Even if he’s not destined to be a Chelsea defender, it’s probably still a good move for him. It offers him a potential avenue to another Premier League team and Jurgen Klinsmann is thrilled about Miazga’s transfer to Chelsea, which will likely help solidify his spot in the U.S. National Team squad going forward.