Former Australian footballer Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham FC after leaving Chelsea | Football News

Kerr has signed with the NWSL champions until 2030, returning to the US league after spending six years with Chelsea in England.

Australian player Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham ⁠FC, the reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the club announced after the player ended her impressive career with Chelsea, which saw her win five Women’s Super League titles.

Kerr, who was a free agent, signed a contract on Monday that will see him play in New York until 2030. He previously played in the city between 2015 and 2017.

The all-time top scorer in the North American league scored 116 goals in all competitions for Chelsea and was a finalist for the 2023 Ballon d’Or.

“This club was an important part of my journey, and to be back at this time, with all that Gotham has created, is very special. The demands here are clear, and I hope to help this team compete for trophies and make more history,” said Kerr in a statement.

The signing is a positive change for the NWSL, which saw several players leave Europe last year, bringing one of the most talented players to the sport’s biggest market in the US.

“Sam is one of the greatest players of his generation and a game-changing talent who has played at the highest level in the world,” said Yael Averbuch West, Gotham’s president of soccer operations.

“Bringing Sam back to Gotham is a historic moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

Kerr played 119 regular-season games (113 starts) in seven months with three teams in the NWSL, including three years with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017.

After playing the 2018 season with the Chicago Red Stars, Kerr played a season for Perth Glory ⁠in her native Australia (2018–19) before returning to Chicago in 2019. She joined Chelsea in the Women’s Super League at the end of 2019.

Despite his six-and-a-half-year absence, his 77 all-time goals are still the NWSL record. In 2017, he won the Golden Boot and MVP awards with Sky Blue FC after a season in which he scored 17 goals in 22 games.

Kerr will make his first appearance for Gotham after the NWSL transfer window opens on July 14. Gotham will host the Washington Spirit on July 15 in the Queens Classic in New York.