Chelsea make history with Naomi Girma signing for record-breaking fee

Chelsea have set a new benchmark in women’s football by signing United States defender Naomi Girma in a record-breaking deal. The transfer fee, reported by British media to be around £900,000 ($1.12 million), makes Girma the first female million-dollar player.

The Women’s Super League (WSL) club unveiled the landmark signing on Sunday, presenting Girma to the 34,302 fans at Stamford Bridge before their 1-0 league victory over Arsenal.

The fee surpasses the previous record of €685,000 ($718,770) paid by Bay FC for Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji in February 2024. Girma arrives from the NWSL's San Diego Wave, where she was under contract until 2026, necessitating the record transfer fee.

“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,” Girma said in a club statement.

At just 24 years old, Girma is already considered one of the world’s elite defenders. She played a pivotal role in the United States’ gold-medal-winning campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics, featuring every minute of the tournament, including the 1-0 final win against Brazil.

Girma is manager Sonia Bompastor’s first January signing and arrives to bolster Chelsea’s defense, which has been impacted by the loss of center-back Kadeisha Buchanan to an ACL injury in November.

Chelsea, currently leading the WSL table by nine points over Manchester City, aims to maintain their dominance as they prepare for an away fixture against Aston Villa on February 2.

Girma’s impressive career began as the first overall pick in the 2022 NWSL draft by the San Diego Wave. She earned both the league's Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards in her debut season.

In 2023, she led the Wave to the NWSL Shield and claimed her second consecutive Defender of the Year honor, cementing her status as one of the game’s brightest stars.

SportsLigue