Simone Charley thanked the Portland Thorns organization and fans on Saturday, days after the young forward was traded to NWSL expansion club Angel City FC.
“Words cannot express the gratitude that I have in my heart for these past four years in Portland,” Charley wrote in an Instagram post published Saturday. “To the fans—Thank you for making my time at Providence Park magical.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Simone Charley (@simonecharley)
A post shared by Simone Charley (@simonecharley)
The Thorns traded the 26-year-old and Tyler Lussi in exchange for $100,000 in allocation money, immunity from Angel City in Thursday’s NWSL Expansion Draft and the club’s natural second-round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.
The move comes after a breakout season for Charley, who started 11 of the 19 matches she appeared in and scored five goals for Portland. She finished the season tied for second on the team’s goal-scoring list alongside Christine Sinclair (Sophia Smith led the way with seven goals). Charley was also second in goals per 90 minutes, behind only Lussi, who notched one goal in 160 minutes.
Charley proved herself to be lethal in the air, with four of her five goals coming off of headers.
Oh my @SimoneCharley 🤭#CC21 pic.twitter.com/WBxolSNfGF— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 8, 2021
Oh my @SimoneCharley 🤭#CC21 pic.twitter.com/WBxolSNfGF
The Portland striker also showcased her dribbling skills, causing issues for opponents’ backlines all season long.
Charley will join U.S. women’s national team star Christen Press on Angel City’s front line for the club’s debut season in 2022.