Just weeks after Chelsea announced the signing of Levante’s Mayra Ramírez for a then-record transfer fee of €500k, newly-formed NWSL side Bay FC have obliterated the transfer record ahead of their debut season.
The San José-based club have secured the services of Racheal Kundananji from Madrid CFF, with the Zambian striker becoming the world’s most expensive women’s footballer of all time.
Prior to the January transfer window, England’s Keira Walsh held the title after her move from Manchester City to Barcelona cost the Catalan side an estimated €400k.
But such is the rapid growth of the women’s game that less than two years on from Walsh’s deal, the record had been broken twice – and almost doubled, with the reported fee paid for Kundananji reaching a staggering €735,000.
Embed from Getty ImagesKundananji has signed a four-year contract with Bay FC, joining a plethora of Europe’s finest talents that have already made the move to the West Coast of the United States.
Asisat Oshoala, Deyna Castellanos and Jen Beattie have also put pen to paper on deals with the new club, who will compete in the NWSL for the first time on 16 March as they travel to Angel City.
In an official statement, Bay FC’s General Manager Lucy Rushton said: ‘We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.’
Kundananji will occupy one of Bay FC’s five international roster spots, as per NWSL regulations.
