USA defender Naomi Girma has finalized terms to join Chelsea on a record-breaking long-term deal, setting a new benchmark for women’s football transfers.
The fee, reported to be around £900,000 ($1.1m), surpasses the £685,000 paid by Bay FC for Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji in February 2024. This transfer makes Girma the first female footballer to command a million-dollar fee.
The Women’s Super League champions secured Girma’s signature after a competitive pursuit involving French giants Lyon.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s best players, the 24-year-old will leave San Diego Wave, currently managed by former Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, to become Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor’s first signing of the January window.
Chelsea prioritized Girma’s acquisition following the loss of center-back Kadeisha Buchanan to an ACL injury. The team currently leads the WSL table by seven points over Arsenal and has advanced to the Women’s Champions League knockout stages.
This transfer eclipses Chelsea’s previous British record signing of Levante striker Mayra Ramirez in January 2023 for £384,000, plus up to £42,600 in add-ons.
Why was Girma in such high demand?
Girma’s talents have been evident for a few years, with San Diego Wave selecting her as the first pick of the 2022 NWSL Draft.
At the end of the season, she was named the NWSL’s defender of the year and rookie of the year.
The following year she signed a new three-year deal, helped San Diego Wave win the NWSL Shield under ex-Manchester United manager Casey Stoney and was named the league’s best defender for a second successive year.
Girma has also played a key role for the USA national side, and was one of the standout performers as they fell to an early exit in the last 16 of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
She was named US Soccer’s female player of the year and backed it up by playing every minute of their run to Olympic gold in 2024.