Chelsea new signing Naomi Girma is introduced to the fans ahead of the Women's Super League soccer match between Chelsea Women and Arsenal Women at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday Jan. 26, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)
James WarwickWomen鈥檚 soccer has its first million-dollar player after United States defender Naomi Girma moved from San Diego Wave to Chelsea on Sunday.
Chelsea announced the signing of Girma without disclosing the fee but The Athletic and the BBC were among those reporting the English champions have spent 900,000 pounds ($1.1 million) on the transfer.
That surpasses the world-record fee of $788,000 that Bay FC paid to sign from Madrid CFF last year.
It is the third time Chelsea has paid a world-record fee for a player, after Denmark forward Pernille Harder ($355,000) in 2020 and Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez ($542,000) last year.
The 24-year-old Girma was under contract with the Wave until 2026. She was drawing interest from French club Lyon and Arsenal, Chelsea鈥檚 rival in the Women鈥檚 Super League.
Girma was presented on the field in front of Chelsea鈥檚 fans ahead of Sunday鈥檚 game against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the WSL.
鈥淚鈥檓 so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn鈥檛 feel real,鈥 Girma said.
鈥淭here are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here 鈥 the culture, the winning mentality, staff and players. It鈥檚 a top environment to learn and grow in. Right now, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 looking to do. It was an easy choice for me.鈥
Girma made her debut for the national team in 2022. She has appeared in 44 games with the United States and played on the squad that won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Girma was named . She also won the federation鈥檚 Young Player of the Year award in 2020. During the Olympics, U.S. coach Emma Hayes, the former coach at Chelsea, called Girma
鈥淣aomi is a world-class defender who is now coming into the prime years of her career,鈥 said Paul Green, Chelsea's head of women鈥檚 football.
鈥淗er composure on the ball, ability to read the game coupled with her pace and athleticism will add top quality to an already very talented squad.鈥
Girma was captain of the Stanford team that won the national championship in 2019. She was taken at No. 1 in the 2022 National Women鈥檚 Soccer League draft by the Wave. She was named the league鈥檚 Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year in her first season.
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AP Soccer Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.
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