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Mallory Swanson and the Chicago Red Stars made NWSL history on Tuesday, when the club announced a deal that would make her the league’s highest-paid player.
The player inked a four-year deal with an option for another year that runs close to being worth $2 million overall, cementing her status as the focal point of a new look Red Stars. The club is under new leadership after Laura Rickeets, a co-owner of MLB’s Chicago Cubs and the WNBA’s Sky, bought the Red Stars last September and following the hiring of ex-Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson. Swanson’s commitment to the Red Stars will allow her to reunite with Donaldson, who worked with him when she was a youth player in her native Colorado.
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The league’s second-ever free agency period has been a busy one, most notably through NJ/NY Gotham FC, who signed USWNT quartet Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett. Several eye-popping names remain available, including Becky Sauerbrunn and Sam Mewis. Their respective contracts with the Portland Thorns and the Kansas City Current have expired, and Mewis’ departure from the Current has already been confirmed.
Here’s an updating list of players who are on the move — and where they end up — as the NWSL’s second free agency period gets underway.
PositionPlayerSigned withOld teamMIDAngelinaOrlando Pride (three-year deal)OL ReignMIDTaylor AylmerTBDRacing Louisville FCGKNicole BarnhartWashington Spirit (one-year deal)Washington SpiritGKMichelle BetosTBDNJ/NY Gotham FCDEFCamryn BiegalskiTBDWashington SpiritGKEmily BoydTBDChicago Red StarsDEFAmber BrooksTBDWashington SpiritFWDSimone CharleyTBDAngel City FCDEFAllysha ChapmanTBDHouston DashMIDEmily CurranTBDHouston DashDEFTierna DavidsonNJ/NY Gotham FC (three-year deal)Chicago Red StarsGKElla DederickTBDHouston DashFWDMakenzy DoniakSan Diego Wave FC (two-year deal)San Diego Wave FCFWDImani DorseyUtah Royals (two-year deal)NJ/NY Gotham FCFWDCrystal DunnNJ/NY Gotham FC (three-year deal)Portland Thorns FCDEFCaprice DydascoBay FC (two-year deal)Houston DashMIDElizabeth EddyAngel City FC (two-year deal)Angel City FCFWDEmina EkicMelbourne CityRacing Louisville FCMIDSinead FarrellyNJ/NY Gotham FC (option exercised)NJ/NY Gotham FCMIDBayley FeistTBDWashington SpiritDEFSabrina FloresTBDNJ/NY Gotham FCDEFEmily FoxArsenalNorth Carolina CourageMIDMakamae Gomera-StevensTBDHouston DashDEFSarah GordenAngel City FC (three-year deal)Angel City FCFWDPaulina GramagliaTBDHouston DashFWDShea GroomTBDHouston DashDEFMadison HammondAngel City FC (two-year deal)Angel City FCMIDTori HusterAnnounced retirementWashington SpiritGKBrittany IsenhourTBDAngel City FCGKDevon KerrTBDHouston DashFWDTziarra KingTBDOL ReignDEFMeghan KlingenbergTBDPortland Thorns FCDEFAli KriegerAnnounced retirementNJ/NY Gotham FCDEFCasey KruegerWashington Spirit (three-year deal)Chicago Red StarsDEFNatalia KuikkaTBDPortland Thorns FCMIDRose LavelleNJ/NY Gotham FC (three-year deal)OL ReignMIDJordyn ListroTBDOrlando PrideMIDAllie LongTBDNJ/NY Gotham FCFWDCheyna MatthewsAnnounced retirementChicago Red StarsDEFMerritt MathiasAngel City FC (one-year deal)Angel City FCMIDSavannah McCaskillSan Diego Wave (three-year deal)Angel City FCFWDJessica McDonaldTBDRacing Louisville FCDEFTegan McGradyTBDPortland Thorns FCDEFAddisyn MerrickUtah Royals (two-year deal)Kansas City CurrentMIDSam MewisTBDKansas City CurrentGKCassie MillerTBDKansas City CurrentFWDNadia NadimTBDRacing Louisville FCFWDYuki NagasatoHouston Dash (two-year deal)Chicago Red StarsDEFKiki PickettTBDNorth Carolina CourageDEFMadison PogarchUtah Royals (two-year deal)San Diego Wave FCMIDTaylor PorterTBDPortland Thorns FCFWDMegan RapinoeAnnounced retirementOL ReignFWDBrittany RatcliffeWashington Spirit (three-year deal)North Carolina CourageDEFCari RoccaroChicago Red Stars (two-year deal)Chicago Red StarsDEFMaria SanchezHouston Dash (three-year deal)Houston DashDEFBecky SauerbrunnTBDPortland Thorns FCMIDDesiree ScottTBDKansas City CurrentDEFKayla SharplesBay FC (two-year deal)Chicago Red StarsFWDMarissa ShevaTBDWashington SpiritMIDMana ShimTBDNJ/NY Gotham FCDEFCheyenne ShortsTBDSan Diego Wave FCFWDChristine SinclairTBDPortland Thorns FCDEFEmily SonnettNJ/NY Gotham FC (three-year deal)OL ReignDEFBianca St-GeorgesNorth Carolina Courage (two-year deal)Chicago Red StarsMIDNikki StantonTBDOL ReignMIDElla StevensTBDChicago Red StarsDEFKylie StromOrlando Pride (three-year deal)Orlando PrideFWDMallory SwansonChicago Red Stars (four-year deal)Chicago Red StarsMIDEmily Van EgmondSan Diego Wave FC (two-year deal)San Diego Wave FCFWDMichele VasconcelosUtah Royals (two-year deal)Portland Thorns FCMIDMarisa ViggianoRacing Louisville (two-year deal)Houston DashMIDDani WeatherholtNorth Carolina Courage (two-year deal)Angel City FCFWDMallory WeberTBDKansas City CurrentDEFChristen WestphalSan Diego Wave FC (two-year deal)San Diego Wave FCMIDMcCall ZerboniTBDNJ/NY Gotham FC