The NWSL saw another major move on Tuesday, as the San Diego Wave acquired Brazil international Ludmila from the Chicago Stars in a trade worth up to $1 million, signing the standout attacker through the 2028 season.
The Stars received $800,000 in transfer funds for the 31-year-old striker, plus an estimated $200,000 in conditional incentives — making Ludmila's trade one of the most lucrative intraleague deals in NWSL history.
"I scored my first NWSL goal against San Diego and [it] always was a team I admired. I loved the supporters, the energy of the team, and the vibes of the city when I visited. I'm very happy to be part of this Club's history," Ludmila said in the Wave's Thursday statement. "I'm very excited to show my football in front of all the supporters and score many goals in these colors."
Second only to Jaedyn Shaw's $1.25 million transfer from the North Carolina Courage to Gotham FC last September, this week's Ludmila transaction underlines the soaring price tags to roster — and retain — top talent.
"[Ludmila's] versatility allows her to operate in multiple attacking roles, giving our coaches more tactical options in different game situations," said Wave GM Camille Ashton. "We're confident she will be a valuable asset to the Club's success moving forward."
The signing of Ludmila comes as news emerges that San Diego Wave star Delphine Cascarino is on the brink of exiting the league entirely, with L'Équipe reporting on Tuesday that the French forward is closing in on a deal to join WSL debutants, the London City Lionesses.
San Diego made roster waves this week, as the 2022 NWSL expansion team announced on Monday that founding goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is leaving the franchise in a mutual contract termination.
Sheridan joined the Wave ahead of the club's inaugural year, making 87 appearances over four seasons while registering nine shutouts in the team's 2023 Shield-winning campaign.
"Kailen has been an integral part of this Club since day one," Wave sporting director Camille Ashton said in a Monday statement. "We thank her for the contributions to this Club and this city and wish her the best in the next chapter of her career."
While San Diego hunts for a new starting keeper, they pointed to the future by also announcing the signing of Florida State defender Mimi Van Zanten on Monday.
Van Zanten is fresh off her second NCAA championship in three seasons, building youth experience with the USWNT before joining the Jamaica senior women's national team.
"Her championship experience and ability to contribute on both sides of the ball make her a strong addition to the Wave," Ashton remarked about the 20-year-old.
Ultimately, while San Diego has long had an aggressive transfer market approach, the move away from their 2023 Shield-winning core raises questions about the future of the Wave roster.
The San Diego Wave introduced Camille Ashton as their new general manager and sporting director yesterday, three weeks after Ashton resigned from her position as GM of the Kansas City Current.
The 34-year-old former NWSL pro will manage San Diego’s coaching staff and on-field budget, as well as lead player scouting and acquisitions. Ashton joins Wave FC president Jill Ellis and head coach Casey Stoney in an effort to lead the team back to their 2023 NWSL Shield-winning success.
"I’ve known Cami from back in her playing days, and her impressive track record and deep understanding as both a General Manager and former player, combined with her passion and energy make her an exceptional fit with this club," Ellis said in a team statement.
Ashton left a Kansas City team that remains undefeated this season — a significant leap from last year’s 11th-place finish. While at the Current, Ashton inked top offseason free agent Debinha followed by international forwards Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Bia Zaneratto (Brazil).
However, not all of Ashton’s roster moves were as well received. High-profile players like Lynn Williams, Cece Kizer, and Alex Loera posted about the mishandling of their abrupt trades, while the parent of a waived 2023 NWSL draftee claimed her daughter was mistreated by Ashton and the club (a subsequent investigation did not result in any public consequences).
When asked about the criticism surrounding the trades, Ashton commented, "There could be a lot of debate… but at the end of the day, that’s the mechanism that we work with right now in the league."
A Southern California native, Ashton will make the transition to the Wave in the coming weeks.
After Kansas City Current fired head coach Matt Potter just three games into the 2023 NWSL season, general manager Camille Ashton said Friday that Potter’s firing was not related to the concerns raised by the mother of draft pick Mykiaa Minniss.
In response to a question about Minniss, Ashton began by apologizing to the 2023 draft pick.
“I and the organization are sorry to hear that she has been dealing with the things that came to light,” she said. “We certainly were not aware of that, and we hope, genuinely, that she’s doing okay, most importantly.”
Ashton continued: “We honestly aren’t aware of any violations of the CBA and believe that we treat every player equally within this organization, regardless of whether they are contracted or not.”
In a social media post last month, Minniss’s mother said her daughter received “less than professional” treatment from the club. Minniss was selected by the Current in the third round of the NWSL draft but was cut from the roster during the preseason.
Minniss responded to Ashton’s comments on Twitter, asking, “Sorry to hear about the things I experienced or sorry for your part in it? You’d think a former player in the league would understand accountability better.”
Ashton played in the NWSL from 2014-2017 with three different clubs.
While both the NWSL and NWSLPA both said they were looking into Minniss’s claims earlier this month, it is unclear whether those inquiries will result in a formal investigation.
Sorry to hear about the things I experienced or sorry for your part in it? You’d think a former player in the league would understand accountability better. https://t.co/e0UeYt7Ezg
— mykiaa minniss (@mykminn) April 21, 2023