Why Chelsea got a bargain for Alyssa Thompson
The USWNT star's late move to Chelsea was surrounded by debate over the size of transfer fee
It felt like the christening of a new era. But, in the end, it was a goodbye.
Two weeks ago, Alyssa Thompson scored the match-winning goal for Angel City in the 87th minute in a 1-0 home win over the Orlando Pride. That win was the first under head coach Alex Straus, who joined Angel City from Bayern Munich in June.
Right in front of the raucous North End, home to the supporters group La Fortaleza, Thompson’s goal ended a six-game winless stretch for Straus, an eight-match winless run for Los Angeles. ACFC was back in the playoff picture.
On Thursday night, in the final hours of transfer deadline day, Thompson became a Chelsea player.
The confirmation of the move closed a dramatic week of speculation that began when The Guardian first reported Chelsea’s interest last week.
Within days of that report, Thompson was excused from team activity. She missed a 2-1 home win over in-state rivals Bay FC, she posted a cryptic text message on her social media that read: “Don’t let someone rob your happiness,” and then she flew off to London on Wednesday without a deal over the line.
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