Chelsea has nabbed another rising NWSL talent. The North Carolina Courage announced the immediate transfer of 2025 MVP finalist Manaka Matsukubo to the WSL titans on Saturday.
Matsukubo's Chelsea Deal and What It Means for the NWSL
The reigning NWSL Midfielder of the Year signed a five-year deal with Chelsea over the weekend. The move comes after Matsukubo scored five goals for the Courage during the 2026 NWSL season.
"I'm so excited to be joining Chelsea, a club with a lot of history," she said in a statement. "As a small child, I followed Chelsea because it is a club everyone in the world knows about."
Matsukubo’s transfer echoes former Angel City standout Alyssa Thompson’s midseason move to the Blues in 2025, as the NWSL attempts to compete in a global market with a salary cap.
The 21-year-old would've become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, with a clause in her contract requiring the Courage to approve any transfer at or above a particular unknown threshold.
But Matsukubo might not be the only NWSL player on the move. USWNT forward Emma Sears has reportedly asked to be traded from Racing Louisville, as the club sits last in the league standings.
