Chelsea’s deal for USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams is off

Chelsea’s proposed deal to sign USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams from Leeds United has been halted.

The Premier League club was set to release the £20m ($25.5m) clause in Adams’ contract after Leeds were relegated to the Championship.

The 24-year-old was in London to finalize a move, with personal terms not expected to be an issue, but Adams instead returned to Leeds on Friday afternoon.

Chelsea have been chasing midfielders all summer, having watched Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek leave the club since the end of last season.

Brighton’s Moises Caicedo was their first target, but although Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign him for a British record fee of £110m ($140m), Chelsea could make an offer again.

Follow the summer transfer window with the athlete…

Asked about the Ecuadorian international in his press conference on Friday, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “I think you know me very well, and I don’t talk about players who don’t belong to us. I’m very respectful.”

When asked if there was an area in the squad he was looking to improve on, the Argentine added: “Yes, but I think it’s obvious, right? When you look at the squad and compare to last season, a lot of our midfielders have left.

“We have different options, we are working hard to see what can really happen.”

Chelsea also have an interest in Southampton’s Romeo Lafia and made a £48m bid for him earlier this week.

Adams, who previously sparked interest from Aston Villa, played 24 games for Leeds last season with his injury preventing him from starting his championship career so far.

He has 36 caps with the USMNT and led them to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

(Photo: Juan Luis Diaz/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)