Chelsea Close to record-breaking Deal for Alyssa Thompson
Chelsea Football Club has reached a verbal agreement with Angel City FC to sign forward alyssa Thompson, a deal that, if finalized, would be the second-most expensive transfer in women’s football history. The Athletic reported the agreement on Thursday, citing anonymous sources, with a reported transfer value of $1.3 million.
Both clubs are working to formalize a written agreement before the 3 pm Pacific Time deadline for signings in the Women’s Super League. The potential fee would equal the amount arsenal paid Liverpool for Olivia Smith in July, falling just short of the current record of $1.5 million paid by Tigres UANL (Mexico) to Orlando pride for Lizbeth Ovalle last month.
Negotiations between Chelsea, the most accomplished women’s football team, and Angel City, the most valuable women’s team in the United States, have been ongoing. Thompson,who has already agreed to a five-year contract with Chelsea,initially prepared to travel to London on Monday and Tuesday to complete the transfer but postponed her trip. She ultimately flew to London on Wednesday, arriving Thursday for a physical examination.
Shoudl the transfer be completed,thompson would be the third Angel City player to join a WSL club in under a week,following midfielders Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem who signed with London City Lionesses on August 27th.
Thompson was drafted first overall by Angel City in January 2023, directly after graduating from Harvard Westlake School as the youngest player selected in the NWSL draft. She subsequently became the second-youngest player to appear in a World Cup match for the United States that same year.
She initially signed a three-year contract with Angel City, estimated at $1 million, following the draft and extended that agreement with a further three-year contract in January.Thompson is Angel City’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals across all competitions and ranks sixth in club appearances with 74 games played. This season, she has scored six goals in 16 games, second only to riley Tiernan’s eight goals. She also has three goals and three assists in 22 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The move would mean Thompson leaving Angel City and playing separately from her sister, Gisele Thompson, a 19-year-old defender who joined Angel City in december 2023.
Angel City (6-7-5) currently holds the eighth and final playoff position in the league with eight games remaining. Losing Thompson would be a notable setback for the club, already navigating absences due to maternity leave (Claire Emslie), medical leave (Savy King), and a temporary leave of absence from Sydney Leroux to address a mental health concern. Angel City has only reached the playoffs once in its four seasons in the NWSL.