Naomi Girma is set to become the most expensive player in women’s football after agreeing a long-term deal to join Chelsea from NWSL outfit San Diego Wave, Afrosport reports.
According to BBC Sport, the value of the transfer is $1.1 million which surpasses the $860,000 Bay FC paid for Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji last February.
The fee is almost triple the previous British record Chelsea set when they signed Colombian striker Mayra Ramirez from Levante for £384,000 a year ago.
Girma’s fee is also the first time a player will cross the $1 million transfer mark in women’s football.
The 24-year American centre-back, who is of Ethiopian heritage, will become Chelsea’s first signing of the January transfer window and comes after Kadeisha Buchanan suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) which is likely to rule her out for the rest of the season.
Girma came to prominence when she featured for the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and was named US Soccer Female Player of the Year.
She went on to play every minute of the USWNT’s gold medal triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
