Chelsea The San Diego Wave are leading the race to sign the center back. Naomi GarmaWhile weapon And Leon I am also interested. The United States star of the women’s national team, sources told ESPN.
Garma, 24, has a contract until 2026. NWSL side, so any deal would require a substantial transfer fee. A source told ESPN that it could become the first $1 million transfer in women’s soccer.
Girma is one of the top-rated defenders of this current generation and was instrumental in helping the USWNT win gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Manager Emma Hayes said Garma was “the best defender I’ve ever played with. I’ve never seen such a good player behind her.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Boompaster has admitted she is looking to bolster her options at centre-back after the Canadian defender suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Kadisha Buchananand multiple sources have told ESPN that Girma is at the top of their wish list.
Boompaster’s former club Lyon, owned by businesswoman Michelle Kang, have also shown an interest in the centre-half despite signing the Swedish defender. Elma Jantila Nilhage. Earlier in the transfer window.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, who have been keeping an eye on Garma for quite some time, have also shown an interest in bringing the center back on board, another source told ESPN.
There will be several hurdles, however, not a minimum transfer fee required to prize one of the best players in the world away from the San Diego Wave. Former Arsenal manager Jonas Edwal, the incoming manager of the San Diego Wave, will be reluctant to lose a player of Garma’s caliber while the team is under new ownership, after the Lichtman-Leuven family took over the franchise in October. .
The wave has already parted. Jayden Shaw Since Eidevall’s term started last week. The 20-year-old moved into the forward. North Carolina Courage $300,000 in cap money and a $150,000 intra-league transfer fee as well as 2025 and 2026 international slots for San Diego.
The current world record transfer fee in women’s football is held by Rachel Kandnanji who transferred. B.F.C from Madrid CFF for $860,000. Given Girma’s talent, his transfer fee is likely to have to surpass the current record to make it worthwhile for the franchise.
Girma won the NWSL Defender of the Year award for both 2022 and 2023, but lost out to Emily Sans in 2024.