(Reuters) – Bay FC have signed Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji from Spain’s Madrid CFF, the clubs announced on Tuesday, with the American team paying up to a reported $860,000 to set a new world record in women’s football.
The 23-year-old, who joined Madrid in 2022 from fellow Spanish top-tier side Eibar, signed a contract through the 2027 season with an extension option for the 2028 campaign, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club said.
The San Francisco Bay Area’s new NWSL franchise paid $785,000 for Kundananji, local media reported, with a possible $75,000 in add-ons, making her the most expensive female soccer player ever.
The deal breaks the transfer record set when Chelsea signed Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez from Levante for 500,000 euros ($535,400.00) in January.
Kundananji, who represented Zambia at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, scored 25 goals in her first season in Madrid during the 2022-23 campaign.
Bay will face Angel City on March 16 in their first game as an expansion team in the 2024 season.
($1 = 0.9339 euros)
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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