Including a USWNT defender, two of England’s Lionesses and stars from Japan, Brazil and beyond, GOAL picks out the best summer moves in the U.S.
Despite the league pausing in early July for the Olympics Games, NWSL clubs have certainly kept themselves busy over the last six weeks. There has been the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup to contend with, the CONCACAF W Champions Cup got underway this week and, amid it all, there has been a very busy mid-season transfer window.
In that, plenty of new stars have arrived in the top flight of U.S. women's soccer, covering five continents and bringing both established internationals and promising young players to the division, while there has also been plenty of business between teams in the league with players already well-versed in the NWSL.
It means that there are going to be plenty of debuts made when the season resumes this weekend, but which will be the most highly-anticipated? GOAL ranks the best 15 signings of the NWSL mid-season transfer window…
Getty Images15Mina Tanaka (Utah Royals)
It's been a tough season so far for the Utah Royals, with just eight goals scored in 16 NWSL games. However, the club has acted to address those attacking issues in the mid-season transfer window, first with the signing of Japan international striker Mina Tanaka.
The 30-year-old arrives in the U.S. with an excellent scoring record from her home country and a very respectable total of 34 goals in 86 international caps. She can be prone to a wasteful game or two, there’s no hiding from that, but Tanaka’s movement is good, she will score goals and perhaps the most encouraging aspect of this move is that she will give the Royals a focal point in attack for players like Ally Sentnor, shining in her rookie year, and Cloe Lacasse (more on her later) to bounce off in a bid to improve Utah’s fortunes.
AdvertisementGetty Images14Mackenzie Arnold (Portland Thorns)
It always felt like the Portland Thorns would be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, with Emily Alvarado traded to the Houston Dash and Bella Bixby having announced her pregnancy in January. It was just whether the club would pursue a star shot-stopper or someone to provide cover behind Shelby Hogan, who has impressed in her first year as a starter.
By signing Mackenzie Arnold, Portland has gone for the former and acquired a goalkeeper who has impressed plenty on the international stage with Australia. This is going to be a different challenge for the 30-year-old, who will sit behind a much better defense with the Thorns in comparison to that she has worked with for the past four seasons at West Ham, but she’ll feel ready to take that next step. Arnold’s addition is likely to only help Hogan, too, as the two battle it out for minutes.
Getty Images13Claudia Zornoza (Utah Royals)
It’s not only in attack that Utah has strengthened during the mid-season break. In Claudia Zornoza, it has brought to the club an excellent holding midfielder, someone who was part of the Spain squad that won the 2023 Women’s World Cup and has impressed consistently for Real Madrid over the last three years.
The 33-year-old will join Amandine Henry, the France star who arrived in April, in the middle of the park as the Royals try to ensure a leaky defense – the joint-worst in the NWSL – is better protected. However, that the club hasn’t improved the actual back line in this window is a problem and won’t make Zornoza’s task easy, even if she is a fantastic addition.
Getty Images12Rosemonde Kouassi (Washington Spirit)
Washington’s friendly match against Arsenal earlier this month offered fans a glimpse at what Rosemonde Kouassi can bring to the table, following her arrival from Fleury. The 22-year-old has penned a four-year deal, with the value for the future only making this a better transfer, and looks capable of going to new levels after three promising seasons in France.
In that clash with the Gunners, Kouassi and Ouleymata Sarr worked together to cause the opponent so many problems with their energy, hard work and pace in behind. With Trinity Rodman to come back and add another dimension to the three-pronged attack, head coach Jonatan Giraldez will hope Kouassi can help make this attack, already the joint-second best in the NWSL this season, an even greater nightmare for the league’s defenders.