A fresh insight into the ongoing tug-of-war over the signature of Chicago Fire star Gabriel Slonina has been provided on Saturday afternoon.
For those not aware, shot-stopper Slonina is currently making a name for himself in his home country of the United States.
This comes with the starlet, at just 18 years of age, having long secured no.1 status with the Chicago Fire, after making his way through the club's academy over the course of the last six years.
To this point in the current MLS campaign, with Chicago struggling badly at the foot of the Eastern Conference standings, Slonina has nevertheless impressed, en route to clean sheets in five of his 14 appearances.
And such stellar form at such a young age, in turn, is understood to have piqued the attentions of a number of European football's giants.
As per a report from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Spanish giants and Champions League holders Real Madrid went as far as to table an offer for Slonina last week.
The bid, however, was ultimately knocked back.
And this appears to have opened the door to Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea, now back in talks with the youngster's representatives after coming up short in their own efforts to secure his signature back in February.
A definitive decision on Slonina's landing spot, in turn, is expected imminently, ahead of 'one of MLS' record transfers'.