The American defender could be missing for Chelsea in the hunt for the Champions League

The women’s soccer transfer market looks set to take a new turn as Chelsea reportedly close in on a world record move for USWNT defender Naomi Girma.

The 24-year-old was always going to be the talk of the January window after rumors emerged suggesting clubs in Europe were ready to battle for her signature. The San Diego Wave center back has several years left on her contract with the NWSL club, so it quickly became clear that interested clubs would have to offer a world record to sign her.

Racheal Kundananji, currently of Bay FC, is currently the most expensive women’s footballer in history after joining from Madrid CFF last February for £685,000. Report from The Athletic this week claims Chelsea they agreed a £900,000 deal to sign Girma this month, comfortably beating the current record by some.

It’s no surprise to see Chelsea in the market for a centre-back this month after Canada international Kadeisha Buchanan suffered an ACL injury earlier in the campaign. Sonia Bompastor currently relies on Nathalie Bjorn and Millie Bright as her two starting central defenses, but more depth will be needed to allow them to compete on all four fronts.

Potentially signing a player of Girma’s caliber, however, is another story. This is not just a player signed to come in and push the current squad, this is someone capable of taking one of England’s most successful clubs to even greater heights.

The words of former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes should be noted, as Girma was one of the first players she singled out for praise shortly after taking charge of the USWNT last summer. “Look, she [Girma] is the best defender I’ve ever seen,” she told reporters during their Olympic campaign.

“I’ve never seen a player as good as her at the back. She has everything, composure, composure, she can defend, she anticipates, she leads. [She’s] incredibly.”

Chelsea weren’t the only club pushing to sign her this month, with WSL rivals Arsenal also longtime fans, according to ESPN. French giants Lyon, owned by businesswoman Michele Kang, have also been heavily linked, but it is a testament to Chelsea’s pulling power and ambition that they have surged forward in the race and are closing in on the finish line.

During her college days, Girma played her soccer for the Stanford Cardinal and was then the first pick of the 2022 NWSL Draft. In her first season, she was named the league’s rookie of the year and defender of the year, while also making her senior debut for the USWNT.

In 2023, she helped the San Diego Wave win the NWSL shield and was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. The individual accolades speak for themselves, but her presence at the back was also one of the key driving forces behind the USA’s run to Olympic gold last summer as she played every minute of the tournament under Hayes.

Chelsea already boasts one of the strongest defenses in the WSL, alongside Arsenal and Manchester Unitedconceding only six goals in 11 games so far this term. What Girma offers will undoubtedly make them an even tougher unit to break down, but Opta also note that the defender has a 91% pass rate and barely five progressive passes per 90 over the last 365 days, suggesting she could be a real asset to Chelsea’s build-up game as well .

While an unprecedented sixth consecutive league title is one of Bompastor’s main goals in her debut season as Chelsea boss, it cannot be denied that Champions League it’s at the top of everyone’s wish list.

The last and only English team to win the competition was Arsenal in 2007. Chelsea came agonizingly close to 2021 under Hayes when they were beaten by Barcelona in the final, and the wait continues to this day.

Although this will be Girma’s first time in European football, there is no escaping that her arrival gives Chelsea a significant boost as they look to rewrite the history books this season.

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