01/14/26 12:54:00
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01/14 12:52 CST Manchester City lands US midfielder Sam Coffey to bolster WSL
title bid
Manchester City lands US midfielder Sam Coffey to bolster WSL title bid
MANCHESTER, England (AP) --- United States midfielder Sam Coffey joined
Manchester City from the Portland Thorns on Wednesday, signing a 3 1/2-year
contract.
The transfer fee was reportedly worth more than $800,000.
Coffey, who won Olympic gold and the SheBelieves Cup with the U.S. national
team, was described by City as one of the best players in the world.
"Sam is playing at the top of her game, and I think her decision to come here
shows the incredible progress we've made as a club and the ambitions we have
moving forward," City director of football Therese Sjogran said.
Coffey has appeared in 42 games for the United States, with four goals and five
assists. She was left off the roster for the team's annual January camp,
leading to speculation that she was on the move.
City hopes the 27-year-old Coffey will help lead the club to the Women's Super
League title this season, with Andree Jeglertz's team currently top of the
standings. Its only league title came back in 2016. Chelsea has dominated the
division over the past 11 years.
"It's a club with so much history, so much success, so much influence in the
city," Coffey said about City. "It's also a place that just has proven its
investment in women's soccer and being a part of this movement that is going
on."
Coffey was signed by the Thorns in National Women's Soccer League in 2022 after
playing at Penn State and won a league title with the Portland club that
season. She played in 90 matches for the Thorns, scoring five goals.
"Sam's reputation as one of the world's best speaks for itself, and we're
delighted she's chosen to come here ahead of other potential suitors," Sjogran
said. "We believe she has all the qualities needed to thrive at City and, more
broadly, the WSL, and we're excited to see how she can elevate our already
superb squad of players."
Coffey is the latest national team player to head to Europe, joining defender
Naomi Girma and forward Alyssa Thompson, who both went to Chelsea. The exodus
has called attention to the NWSL's salary cap, and whether it hampers teams
from attracting and retaining elite talent.
The league recently introduced a "High Impact Player" mechanism that would
allow teams to compensate certain players up to $1 million over the salary cap,
which is about $3.5 million per team for the upcoming season. The NWSL players
union has objected to the proposal, saying it was not negotiated.
"For as long as I've kicked a ball, I've always dreamed of playing professional
soccer in Europe, and it's something I simply have to pursue," Coffey said in a
farewell video to Thorns fans. "I would never forgive myself if I didn't go
try."
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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