Angel City forward and USWNT winger Alyssa Thompson is reportedly on the verge of joining Chelsea FC as the transfer window closes. According to The Athletic, a verbal agreement has been reached for a fee less than £1 million. Sources in the U.S. have confirmed to CBS Sports that Thompson`s transfer is imminent, although the exact fee is still being finalized.
This reported fee, approximately $1.3 million, would place Thompson among the most expensive transfers in the history of women`s football. This follows a recent record set by reigning NWSL Champions Orlando Pride, who acquired Lizbeth Jacqueline Ovalle from Liga MX Femenil`s Tigres Femenil for $1.5 million.
Earlier this year, the 20-year-old USWNT international signed an extended contract with Angel City through 2028, alongside her sister, defender Gisele Thompson. Upon official confirmation, Thompson, a rising star who first made a major USWNT roster for the 2023 FIFA Women`s World Cup, will sign a five-year contract with Chelsea. She has already passed her medical examination and is ready to join the reigning WSL champions for the upcoming season.
This transfer is generating significant global attention, reflecting the increasing fees and valuations in women`s football. It also underscores the rising financial strength of leading NWSL and European clubs, and their capacity to draw top talent internationally. Thompson`s addition will further bolster Chelsea`s already formidable offensive lineup.
While Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez is recovering from hamstring surgery, Sam Kerr has returned to full fitness after an ACL injury. The team also boasts attackers like Lauren James, Guro Reiten, Aggie Beaver Jones, and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. This move will also see Thompson reunite with USWNT teammates Catarina Macario and Naomi Girma.
Although Thompson`s departure is a significant setback for Angel City`s playoff aspirations, the substantial transfer fee could provide crucial resources for the club to make future high-profile acquisitions.
Implications for Angel City and the NWSL
If the global football market wasn`t familiar with Thompson previously, it certainly will be now. Her entry into the NWSL as a high school player was record-setting; Angel City made significant trades with Portland Thorns and Gotham FC to secure the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, spending $450,000 to bring her to her hometown club.
Her audacious on-ball skills quickly captivated NWSL fans, and her early goals and playmaking ability earned her a place on the U.S. national team for the 2023 World Cup. In just two and a half NWSL seasons, she has accumulated 15 goals and 11 assists. After overcoming a minor back injury in early 2024, the winger is having a resurgent year, with considerable MVP buzz surrounding her potential 2025 season with Angel City.
At 20, Thompson is widely regarded as Angel City`s standout player, capable of both scoring and creating opportunities for others. As a top prospect still far from her peak, her move abroad represents a significant loss for a club actively pursuing a playoff spot, and for a league that prides itself on being a premier destination for the world`s elite players.
Significance for Alyssa Thompson`s Career
Such a significant transfer only materializes when a player actively seeks it. In an evolving era of increasing transfer market values for women`s soccer players, Thompson is seizing an unprecedented opportunity to advance her career, a path that might not have been available to previous stars. It also offers her the chance to develop her skills in a new, challenging environment.
Before turning professional, Thompson was deeply involved with American youth development systems, notably playing for Total Futbol Academy, a boys` club within MLS Next, Major League Soccer`s academy program.
The California native became professional, playing for her hometown NWSL team and steadily rising as a prolific next-generation talent in the league. However, during her relatively brief two-and-a-half-year tenure with Angel City, Thompson has experienced significant coaching instability, working under four different coaches: full-time managers and interim head coaches Freya Coombe, Becki Tweed, Sam Laity, and currently Alex Strauss.
For many promising talents, the stability offered by a five-year deal and the opportunity to hone their skills during their prime career years at a top club like Chelsea is highly appealing. Given Chelsea`s ongoing roster management challenges at the start of the 2025-26 season, particularly with injuries to key starters Mayra Ramirez and Lauren James, the timing appears opportune for Thompson to potentially secure a starting role.
Impact on the USWNT
USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has consistently emphasized developing young players at their individual pace. In 2025, she revitalized the U-23 program, integrating it with senior national team international windows. As the former Chelsea FC manager, Hayes is intimately familiar with success in London, having secured 15 trophies with the Blues—including seven league titles and five FA Cups—before taking on her current role with the USWNT.
This move also signifies Thompson`s evolution from a promising next-generation prospect to a prominent, present-day player. A 2024 injury had sidelined her from USWNT rosters for both the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, her 2025 season has taken a dramatically different turn. With several typical starting forwards unavailable for selection this year, the winger has rapidly progressed from a bench option to a key starter.
The USWNT`s much-hyped `Triple Espresso` attacking trio—Sophia Wilson, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman—has been absent in 2025. Wilson recently welcomed a baby, Swanson is expecting, and Rodman has missed extensive playing time for club and country due to a back injury. In a sport where timing and opportunity are crucial, 2025 appears to have perfectly aligned for Thompson.
