U.S. women’s national team defender Naomi Girma is the first million-dollar transfer in women’s soccer history. San Diego Wave FC and Chelsea FC announced their deal on Sunday as Girma is now part of the London giants, taking her skills abroad.
It is the most expensive transfer fee we’ve seen, and not uncommon for Chelsea FC, the English side have made headlines and set previous records for players in the transfer market. Denmark forward Pernille Harder ($355k) was recruited in 2020, and Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez ($542k) signed with the club last year. Harder is now with Bayern Munich and Ramirez recently earned EFE Latin American Women’s Player of 2024.
Girma was introduced to Chelsea fans on Sunday ahead of the Blues match against Arsenal. She sported a new Chelsea kit with the number 16, joining the club where U.S. women’s national team manager Emma Hayes was for over a decade before taking the USA job.
“I’m so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn’t feel real,” Girma said in club statement. “There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here — the culture, the winning mentality, staff and players. It’s a top environment to learn and grow in. Right now, that’s what I’m looking to do. It was an easy choice for me.”
She was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft by San Diego and during her time with the Wave won NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year, won the 2023 NWSL Shield, and made two playoff appearances. The center back joins Chelsea fresh off a 2024 Olympic gold medal where she played every minute of the tournament and led a U.S. defense that conceded just two goals across six matches to secure the gold medal. In 2023, she was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year.
Girma’s new contract with Chelsea will run through 2029.
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