Chelsea have reportedly agreed with the San Diego Wave to sign USWNT star Naomi Girma for a world record fee.
According to The Athletic, the reigning WSL champions have rejected interest from French giants Lyon in signing the highly sought-after defender for a transfer fee of $1.1 million (£814,000).
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The 24-year-old is now set to become the first player to be signed for a transfer fee of more than $1 million.
Although the deal is not yet finalized, reports suggest that it will be finalized in the coming days pending approval of documents.
Girma is widely regarded as one of the best young defenders in the world and has 44 caps to her name.
She was selected by the San Diego Wave with the first pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and has been with the team ever since and was part of the team that won the NWSL Shield in 2023.
She was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and represented the USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The California native impressed on the global stage en route to a gold medal. Former Chelsea coach and current USWNT boss Emma Hayes described her as “the best defender I’ve ever seen”.
“I’ve never seen a player as good as her at the back,” Hayes added.
“She has everything, poise, composure, she can defend, she anticipates, she leads.” [She’s] incredible.”
The two-time NWSL Defender of the Year has been attracting the attention of European giants for some time now, with Lyon, Arsenal and Chelsea all reportedly interested in securing her services.
Arsenal were reportedly not among the final candidates for Girma, but Lyon was, who themselves made a world record offer of $1 million.
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However, it appears Chelsea have won the race for the coveted defender, who is contracted to the Wave until 2026.
Girma is the latest star player to leave the NWSL team, which is undergoing a restructuring under a new ownership group, new general manager and new coach.
Star striker Alex Morgan retired at the end of last summer after announcing she was pregnant with her second child. The Wave then traded veterans Abby Dahlkemper, Taylor Flint and Christen Westphal and released veterans Emily van Egmond and Sofia Jakobsson.
Chelsea are said to be willing to do whatever it takes to sign Girma as they are in desperate need of a centre-back with Kadeisha Buchanan currently sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Chelsea have won five titles in a row and currently sit seven points clear at the top of the WSL, ahead of Arsenal in second place.
The west London club has become a constant contender in both the WSL and Champions League in recent years, which is undoubtedly an attractive proposition for Girna.
The higher level of football and significantly higher salaries are also likely to have a major influence on the world record transfer.