Exclusive: North Carolina Courage favourites to secure Erica Parkinson

NWSL side are pursuing highly-rated English teenager this summer

Erica Parkinson recently received her first England senior call up. Credit: Getty Images

The North Carolina Courage are favourites in the race to secure highly-rated English teenager Erica Parkinson, The Cutback can reveal.

Parkinson, who currently plays for Valadares Gaia in the Portuguese top-tier, has been coveted by clubs across Europe and the US, and was recently called up to Sarina Wiegman’s England senior squad.

The NWSL’s transfer window does not officially open until 14 July. Parkinson’s contract with Valadares Gaia expires at the end of the season.

The 18-year-old is one of the most talked about midfielders in women’s football and this season she has grabbed attention as one of the most exciting players in the Portuguese league.

North Carolina Courage have proven to be a club that can foster and develop young talent with USA’s Riley Jackson and Japan’s Manaka Matsukubo being standout young players in the current roster.

Parkinson broke through this season when she was called up to England’s Under-23 squad at just 17, a few months later, Wiegman brought the teenager into her first senior camp.

Speaking to 5Live Sport in March, Wiegman said Parkinson was “speechless” when she received the senior call up. Wiegman praised the midfielder for being “dynamic”, “aggressive” and “technical”.

Parkinson was part of the England team that finished fourth at the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic in 2024 and has been making waves not just for her ability, but her unusual journey to international football.

Parkinson could have played for Japan - the country of her mother’s heritage - Singapore, where she grew up, or Portugal, where she currently plays. But it was England that came calling first.

“I think I chose England because they were the first country that came up to me and obviously invited me to start with the NTCs (national training centres),” said Parkinson, speaking to media during her first Under-23s camp late last year.

Having grown up in an international environment, Parkinson can speak four languages, including Portuguese and French. Her brother is also a talented footballer who has already represented Japan at youth level and is currently playing for FC Famalicão in Portugal.

Parkinson would become the latest England youngster to head to the NWSL after Anouk Denton and Keira Barry joined Bay FC earlier this year.