Gotham FC has completed a record-breaking deal to acquire U.S. women’s national team midfielder (USWNT) Jaedyn Shaw from the North Carolina Courage for $1.25 million, the largest intra-league transfer in NWSL history.
The fee shatters the previous record set last month, when the Kansas City Current sent forward Ally Sentnor to Utah for $600,000. Gotham will pay the Courage in installments.
Shaw, 20, is in talks with Gotham on a new long-term deal and is expected to sign a new contract that will run through the 2029 season. She will wear the No. 2 jersey as she joins a roster already featuring four Olympic gold medalists from the United States’ 2024 run in Paris.
Currently in sixth place with seven matches remaining, Gotham is looking to Shaw as both an immediate boost in its playoff push and a long-term building block for the club’s future.
Shaw turned professional at age 17, bypassing college to join the NWSL, and has quickly become one of the league’s top young players. She was named the 2022 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, won the 2023 NWSL Shield with San Diego Wave FC, and earned a spot on the Best XI that season. She also won the Golden Ball at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and helped lead the U.S. to Olympic gold later that year.
In league play, Shaw has tallied 16 goals and five assists in 68 appearances for San Diego and North Carolina. She became the youngest player in NWSL history to score in her debut match. Internationally, she has earned 26 caps, scoring eight goals and providing two assists, including a historic streak of scoring in each of her first five starts for the national team.
Shaw said she is eager to join the club and make an impact right away:
“I’m so excited to be a part of this incredible club and community,” she said. “I’m looking forward to playing alongside world-class players and giving my all to help the team win another championship.”
Gotham general manager Yael Averbuch West emphasized that the move represents both immediate ambition and long-term planning for the club:
“Jaedyn is one of the world’s top talents who already has great NWSL and international experience,” Averbuch West said. “We look forward to having her in our team environment and can’t wait to see her impact on our club both now and into the future.”
Shaw could make her Gotham debut Friday night when the team visits her former club, San Diego Wave, at Snapdragon Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, with the Wave sitting third in the standings, three points ahead of sixth-place Gotham.
