Women’s football has produced a million dollars for the first time since the first Sunday, US defender Naomi Girma moved from San Diego Wave to Chelsea.
Chelsea announced the signing of Girma without revealing the transfer fee, but The Athletic and the BBC were one of those who reported that the British champion spent 900,000 pounds ($ 1.1 million).
This is over $ 788,000 of the world’s best transfer, which Bay FC paid for Jambian striker Rachel Kundannan last year.
Chelsea paid a world record transfer to the third time after the 2020 Danish Forward Fernile Hadder ($ 355,000) and Colombian Forward Myra Lamirez ($ 542,000) last year.
Girma, 24, signed a contract with the Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League until 2026. She was attracting attention from Chelsea’s rival Arsenal in the French Club Lyon and the Women’s Super League.
Girma appeared on the stadium in front of Chelsea fans ahead of the Sunday match against Arsenal in WSL’s Stamford Bridge.
Girma said, “I’m so happy and very happy to come here. I don’t feel it.”
“Chelsea have a lot of things that I want to come here, such as culture, winning mental, staff, players. This is the best environment where I can learn and grow. Now, that’s what I’m looking for. It was an easy choice for me.”
Girma debuted as a national team in 2022. She played in 44 games as a US national team and played a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Girma was selected as a female player of the year American football in 2023. She also won the young player of the year, which was selected by the Federation in 2020. US coach Emma Hayes, former Chelsea coach during the Olympics, called Girma the best defender. I’ve seen it. “
Paul Green, chief of Chelsea’s women’s soccer category, said, “Naomi is now a world -class defender who is now in his heyday.”
“Her calm on the ball, the ability to read the game, and her speed and athletic ability will combine the best quality to a very talented team.”
Girma was the captain of the Stanford team who won the 2019 National Championship. She was nominated for the first place by the wave in the NWSL draft. She was selected as the rookie of the year and the defender of the year in the first season.
