Gabriel Slonina: Neuer "comparison crazy to me" - Most valuable goalkeeper born in 2004

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Chicago Fire FC goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has taken Major League Soccer by storm. The 17-year-old goalkeeper was the youngest goalkeeper in MLS history when he debuted in the 0-0 draw against New York City FC on Aug. 4, 2021. Since then, Slonina has added another ten starts and earned four clean sheets. Not surprisingly, Slonina quickly became one of the most talked-up prospects in MLS and, after November's market value update, the most valuable goalkeeper in the world to be born in 2004.

"I am proud of how this season went," Slonina said in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt. "To get that game experience, because, obviously, that is the most important part for a young player." Slonina was thrown into the deep end ahead of the game against NYCFC, facing one of the most potent attacking lineups in the league. "I felt some nerves, but it was something I prepared for my entire life."

The 17-year-old found out that day but kept the news for himself. "I didn't want to tell too many people," Slonina said. "I told close friends and close family. But I mainly wanted to focus on myself." It worked; Slonina was solid, earning the first of four clean sheets.

Slonina did well. But he would not feature again until Sep. 19 against CF Montréal. It was the dying days of the Raphael Wicky era at the club, and with results going against him, the Swiss head coach banished Bobby Shuttleworth to the bench and handed the reigns to Slonina. Chicago lost that game 2-1, and Wicky was gone by the end of the month.

Slonina: Chicago "was the best opportunity" - Neuer comparison "crazy."

But Slonina kept his job until the end of the season. "For me, it was the best opportunity," Slonina said. "I didn't care that the playoffs were no longer in the picture. I wanted to help the team as much as possible and win every game; that was the goal. It was the mentality I came in with; I used every game as an opportunity."

Talents Calendar Day 5 - Gabriel Slonina

It was almost an ideal situation. Behind a poorly put-together defense, Slonina had several opportunities to shine. The 193cm tall goalkeeper showed the full spectrum of his talent in the final ten games of the season. One thing that stood out was the calmness on the ball and aggression when coming off the line combined with cat-like reflexes. Attributes that were also evident in a young Manuel Neuer. "That comparison is crazy to me," Slonina said when asked about Neuer. "Neuer remodeled the game. But I want to be far out of the line and use my feet, play like an extra defender for my team. It is what I model myself after. But I take a bit from every keeper."

Chicago will most certainly undergo a rebuild under new head coach Ezra Hendrickson this winter and might bring in another goalkeeper to compete with Slonina. "I don't know what the club's plans are," Slonina said. "It's all about proving that you belong in a team and fitting in a system and adapting to the adversity that you face with a new coach."

But what about the future? Slonina has a Polish passport, which could help him secure a move to Europe. "Right now, that's far in the future," Slonina said. "I want to show that I belong in this league. But I want to win all the awards in the future, go to Europe and all that. But that is only possible if I put in the work every day."

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2004. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.