NWSL free agent Mallory Swanson will re-sign with the Chicago Red Stars, The Athletic reported Friday.
A spokesperson for the Chicago-based club confirmed that, although an offer is not final, Swanson plans to stay with the Red Stars. Though she received significant offers from other clubs, including Racing Louisville, Swanson wishes to continue playing in Chicago, according to The Athletic.
Swanson has been the Red Stars’ primary offensive asset since her signing in 2021 and she began her most recent season as such. She scored seven goals in six appearances for the U.S. women’s national team and two early goals with Chicago, but Swanson ended up sidelined for the rest of the season after tearing her patellar tendon in April 2023.
On Oct. 15, Swanson posted pictures of herself training with the Red Stars with no brace or support on her injured knee — she may be healed and ready to play by the start of the next NWSL season in March.
The Chicago club is undergoing many changes in 2023 and leading into 2024, including a new head coach, Lorne Donaldson, and a new ownership group, led by Laura Ricketts, part-owner of the Chicago Cubs, the team for which Swanson’s husband plays.
Lorne Donaldson has been named the next head coach of the Chicago Red Stars, the club announced Wednesday.
Donaldson last coached the Jamaica women’s national team, leading them to the knockout stage at the 2023 World Cup in the team’s second appearance at the premier international tournament. Following the tournament, the Jamaican Football Federation said “both parties came to an agreement” for his departure.
The Jamaican coach is also president of elite youth club Real Colorado, where he helped to develop USWNT star forwards Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson. Swanson entered the offseason as a free agent but is expected to re-sign with Chicago, where she has played since 2021.
In October, the Jamaica Observer reported that Donaldson had turned down international offers and was opting to take a break from coaching national teams.
“I have turned down interviews but I won’t say which countries. But yes, that has happened,” Donaldson told the Jamaica Observer. “The plan is just to sit back, but I don’t know what I want to do from here. But, I am still coaching because I am still in charge of my club with 6000 kids in Colorado in the United States and so I am coaching every day.
“Coaching is always a part of my life. There is a lot of stuff that happened recently — not talking about Jamaica — but I didn’t want to be involved right now because I just want to just chill and do what I want to do just for a little while. … I have done it for a long time but I just want to just sit back and just still coach and still develop players, but just take it easy for a little bit.”
Donaldson is the third coach to lead the Red Stars since 2021 after disgraced head coach Rory Dames was banned for life by the NWSL for his alleged verbal abuse of players during his time with the club. Chris Petrucelli was appointed head coach in 2022, but the club parted ways with the coach before the conclusion of the 2023 season.
The 2023 season was a rough one for the Red Stars, with the club going on two separate four-game losing streaks and finishing at the bottom of the league table. Additionally, they were shut out in five of six Challenge Cup matches. A knee injury to star forward Mallory Swanson did not help.
In September, the club was sold to an investor group headed by Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts. The club was put up for sale by Arnim Whisler in the aftermath of the NWSL’s abuse scandal and his involvement in it.
“Lorne has a proven track record as a winning coach and an advocate for his athletes. We believe he has the experience and leadership skills to elevate our talented group of players,” Ricketts said in a news release.
The free agency signing period for the 2024 NWSL season has officially begun, with both restricted and unrestricted free agents now able to sign contracts with clubs of their choosing. Unrestricted free agents can sign with new teams immediately, while restricted free agents can also receive matching qualifying offers from their current clubs.
As in last year’s inaugural free agency, the players with the most freedom are established league veterans, and therefore some of the most valuable players in the league. Signings might start slowly due to free agents being exempt from the upcoming two-team expansion draft, but it’s reasonable to expect another league shake-up before the offseason is over.
Here are a few of the best-known free agents in this year’s class, as well as the journey that got them here and what they might do next.
Crystal Dunn, midfielder/forward
After winning an NWSL Championship with the Portland Thorns in 2022, Crystal Dunn announced right as this year’s offseason began that she’ll be moving on to another squad. She joked during the Skills Challenge at 2023 Championship weekend that she was “looking for a job,” and according to her Instagram, she has already moved out of the Pacific Northwest.
Dunn’s decision to tell the public about her plans right away suggests she might be ahead of the game in picking her next destination, whether it be in the NWSL or abroad. Dunn has already played for the Washington Spirit and the North Carolina Courage in her career, and she has family ties on the East Coast. It seems feasible she could choose to join Gotham’s championship-winning midfield, or even listen to an offer from the Orlando Pride, who have an excess amount of allocation money at their disposal.
Rose Lavelle, midfielder
Rose Lavelle has already taken a circuitous route to her first-ever free agency period. She was drafted into the NWSL by the Boston Breakers and moved to the Washington Spirit after her former club folded. She then was traded to OL Reign in 2020 while playing for Manchester City in England, a move she said came as a surprise to her at the time.
Despite the circumstances that landed Lavelle in Seattle, she’s thrived in her time there. The Reign have a consistent midfield that other clubs envy, and when healthy, Lavelle has had the freedom to pull the strings as the team’s midfield maestro under manager Laura Harvey. Her fit with the team was on full display during the Reign’s 2023 NWSL Championship loss, which might encourage the 28-year-old to extend her contract with the club. But Lavelle isn’t afraid to take leaps in her career, and finding a new home abroad or closer to the region of her NWSL beginnings wouldn’t shock anyone.
Mallory Swanson, forward
There are a number of reasons to believe that USWNT superstar Mallory Swanson might be open to re-signing with the Chicago Red Stars. Swanson’s husband Dansby is locked into a multi-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, and Swanson herself has flourished upon joining the Red Stars in 2021. Her play in Chicago catapulted her back into the U.S. women’s national team conversation, and she’s been working with their trainers in her slow journey back to the pitch after a patella tendon injury.
But the Red Stars have extensive roster work to do after a last-place finish in 2023, and they don’t currently have a general manager or head coach to make promises to top players who might be worried about the club’s formerly tenuous environment. New ownership appears to be steering the team back on track, but players of Swanson’s caliber will likely have to be reassured that the Red Stars will be contending for the postseason again in the future.
Emily Sonnett, defender/midfielder
Emily Sonnett might be one of the most intriguing free agent prospects in this year’s class. After being drafted by the Portland Thorns in 2016, Sonnett won an NWSL Championship as a center-back with the Washington Spirit in 2021 following a trade from the Orlando Pride (for whom she never actually suited up). Then in 2023, new Spirit manager Mark Parsons abruptly traded Sonnett to OL Reign on NWSL draft day, a move that took the 29-year-old by surprise.
Since joining Seattle, Sonnett has reinvented herself as a player, becoming a steady presence in the defensive midfield, first for the Reign and then on the international stage with the USWNT. Now a free agent, she could slot into any team’s defense or midfield and command space with confidence. As a player who has had to abide by trades in the past, she’s likely looking forward to making her own decision, whether that means staying with the Reign or landing somewhere entirely new.
María Sánchez, forward
While she is a restricted free agent, María Sánchez is the type of player any NWSL club could shape an attack around. She was originally drafted into the league by the Chicago Red Stars, but hit her stride in Liga MX Femenil, playing for Chivas and then UANL Tigres. She returned to the NWSL with the Houston Dash, first on loan and then full-time at the beginning of the 2022 season. Sánchez is a talented winger, with quality on the ball and the ability to make defenders miss and send solid crosses into teammates in the box.
Despite the talent they’ve compiled, the Dash have struggled under numerous managers to convert their style of play into a compelling attacking structure. Houston scored the fewest goals in 2023, nine fewer than the next-worst attack, even after putting together a high-flying frontline that included Diana Ordoñez and Nichelle Prince. With the Dash again looking for a permanent coach to put all the pieces together, Sánchez might be convinced to extend her time in Texas to see out the roster’s original vision. But it also wouldn’t be surprising if the Mexico national team player has her eye on a club that’s already scoring goals to optimize her potential.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
The NWSL has announced its expansion draft for Bay FC and Utah Royals FC, but there appears to be an important loophole: unsigned free agents aren’t available for selection.
The 12-round draft, which will be held at 7 p.m. ET Friday, Dec. 15, features rules similar to past expansion drafts, with teams permitted to protect nine players. Players with a “no trade” clause are required to be protected by their club — and if one of the expansion teams selects a player from a team’s roster, that team is allowed to protect one additional player.
With free agents exempt from the draft, though, teams could wait to sign players until after Dec. 15. Top unrestricted free agents include Rose Lavelle of OL Reign, Crystal Dunn of the Portland Thorns and Sarah Gorden of Angel City FC. By waiting to sign a new contract, their teams would not have to protect them.
Several teams have a large number of free agents. The Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash have 10 free agents each, while Gotham FC has eight, as do the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC.
There are 75 total players eligible for free agency this offseason.
Top unrestricted free agents include:
- Tierna Davidson, Chicago Red Stars
- Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
- Sarah Gorden, Angel City FC
- Casey Krueger, Chicago Red Stars
- Savannah McCaskill, Angel City FC
- Rose Lavelle, OL Reign
- Emily Sonnett, OL Reign
- Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars
Top restricted free agents include:
- Emina Ekic, Racing Louisville
- Emily Fox, North Carolina Courage
- Madison Hammond, Angel City FC
While Sophia Smith and Becky Sauerbrunn returned from injury for the U.S. women’s national team roster, several big names remain out for the October friendlies against Colombia.
Tierna Davidson
The 25-year-old defender received a kick to the face in the Chicago Red Stars’ Sept. 30 match against Racing Louisville. She missed the team’s final two matches of the regular season, and she is not ready for international minutes, USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore said Wednesday.
“That contact to the face was pretty severe,” Kilgore said. “She’s recovering and moving forward.”
Rose Lavelle
The 28-year-old midfielder has played intermittently since picking up a leg injury in April. She joined the USWNT at the 2023 World Cup but made just two appearances upon her return to the NWSL — and none since Sept. 3. She’s played just four NWSL matches total in 2023.
Following OL Reign’s win Sunday in their final regular season match, Laura Harvey said that Lavelle would be available only if her team really needed her.
“Rose was sort of there if we desperately needed her to be there, and thankfully we didn’t,” OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey said Sunday. “I know she was still running (on the field) after the game so that we can keep her ticking over in preparation for Friday.”
Kilgore echoed that sentiment Wednesday.
“Both players [Lavelle and Davidson] aren’t ready for international minutes,” she said. “We’re also being very careful with protecting players. Rose is making progress, just not ready for this event.”
Catarina Macario
Macario has not played in a competitive match since tearing her ACL last June, and she hasn’t featured for the USWNT since last April. The 24-year-old midfielder signed with Chelsea in June, and she has been settling in with her new club in the Women’s Super League. But she has yet to play in a game in the WSL through the first three matches of the season.
“Cat is integrating at Chelsea, she’s just not ready for international minutes yet,” Kilgore said. “We’re collaborating with them in terms of keeping in touch and making sure she has everything she needs, but she’s just not ready for international minutes yet.
“She’s just continuing on her timeline there and we trust the people that she’s working with and that she’s entrusted herself to. Things seem to be moving along well.”
Kelley O’Hara
The 35-year-old defender is out with a lower leg injury. She made the World Cup roster but played just nine minutes in the tournament. Since her return to the NWSL, she has played in three matches for Gotham FC, most recently seven minutes as a substitute on Oct. 1.
While she initially was named to the USWNT’s September roster, she was replaced ahead of the friendlies against South Africa. At the time, the USWNT said in a release that the defender’s “return to play has been slower than anticipated and she will remain with her club to continue her progression to full fitness.”
Mallory Swanson
Swanson has remained out since tearing the patellar tendon in her left knee during an April friendly against Ireland. While she has been seen practicing with the Chicago Red Stars, the 25-year-old forward continues to rehab her injury.
The NWSL Players’ Association released the official list of prospective 2024 free agents last week, naming the restricted and unrestricted free agents now allowed to take conversations with teams across the league.
This year’s free agency period is complicated by two expansion clubs in Utah and the Bay Area joining the NWSL in 2024. With the expansion process on the horizon, teams will have to both pursue players out of contract and look to strike deals with those on their roster who are still under contract.
A number of stars grace the free agency shortlist, and it’s clear that some NWSL clubs have a tougher negotiation period ahead of them than others. Here are a few clubs in danger of letting some of the biggest names in the sport walk elsewhere this winter.
Chicago Red Stars
Unrestricted: Tierna Davidson, D; Casey Krueger, D; Mallory Swanson, F; Yuki Nagasato, M
When the old U.S. national allocation status went away in 2021, the Red Stars made sure to lock down their four players who fell under that status to two-year contracts: Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, Mallory Swanson and Alyssa Naeher.
Entering the 2024 free agency period, the only player of that four who has signed onto an additional year with the club is Naeher. The Red Stars have a significant amount of rebuilding to do both on and off the field under new ownership, and retaining the other three players of their long-standing USWNT foursome will likely be at the top of the priority list. Standout midfielder Yuki Nagasato has also not yet signed her mutual team option, leaving Chicago facing the possible loss of veteran leadership and available talent.
Swanson has indicated that she’d like to stay in Chicago (where her husband Dansby plays for the Cubs of the MLB), and Krueger is similarly settled in the Midwest. Davidson, however, might be a difficult player for the Red Stars to retain. With expansion approaching, the center-back is looking to get back into the USWNT roster conversation and might seek out a change of scenery in the process.
Portland Thorns
Unrestricted: Crystal Dunn, M; Meghan Klingenberg, D; Becky Sauerbrunn, D; Christine Sinclair, F
The Thorns similarly have major talent to retain if they want to avoid a major overhaul in 2024. Crystal Dunn, Meghan Klingenberg, Becky Sauerbrunn and Christine Sinclair have all played consistently for the club this year, excluding Sauerbrunn’s foot injury that left the two-time world champion off the USWNT roster for this year’s World Cup.
Of the four star players entering unrestricted free agency this year, Sinclair and Sauerbrunn might consider hanging up their boots entirely, but they are still a big part of Portland’s race to the NWSL Shield in 2023. Dunn has been a revelation while playing in a more advanced position following the injury to Golden Boot leader Sophia Smith, showcasing the versatility that makes her one of the most valuable NWSL players of all time.
Klingenberg has also quietly been one of the most consistent performers in the league in the years since her USWNT career ended. A key locker room presence for Portland, she has adjusted her game to retain her effectiveness into her mid-30s. While the Thorns do a good job bringing in young talent to shore up positions, it’s hard to imagine what the team would look like without any of these free agents.
OL Reign
Unrestricted: Emily Sonnett, M/D; Rose Lavelle, M
Restricted: Tziarra King, F; Angelina, M
Portland’s longtime rivals also have some work to do to maintain a through-line between their longtime stars and up-and-coming talent. Megan Rapinoe, who has played for the Reign since their inception in 2013, will be retiring at the end of the season. Jess Fishlock, another member of the Reign’s original three alongside defender Lauren Barnes, has signed an extension through next season.
Beyond the true veterans, the Reign have a number of starters with the opportunity to turn elsewhere after this season. Rose Lavelle has had her moments of being unstoppable for Seattle since her unexpected trade from the Spirit in 2020, but she’s also been plagued by injury in recent years.
Emily Sonnett became one of the team’s starting defensive midfielders after another surprise trade from Washington earlier this year. If the Reign are in the process of parting with their longtime culture-setters in their locker room, they at least might want to focus on holding onto USWNT mainstays like Lavelle and Sonnett.
The Reign also have a few young contributors up for restricted free agency — meaning that if they do not receive a qualifying offer from their current team, they can negotiate with other teams. Tziarra King and Angelina have both been skillful additions to the Reign’s roster, and with head coach Laura Harvery likely having to reshape the concept of her starting XI, they provide depth the club might be reluctant to lose.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Mallory Swanson and Becky Sauerbrunn have been out with injuries since before the 2023 World Cup, but both players showed up at the U.S. women’s national team’s September training camp ahead of Megan Rapinoe’s final match.
Rapinoe is making her last USWNT appearance at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday at Chicago’s Soldier Field in an international friendly against South Africa. The 38-year-old forward is retiring from professional soccer at the end of the NWSL season.
Swanson, who tore the patellar tendon in her left knee in April, posted a video of herself running on grass for the first time since her injury in late August. Still, while the Chicago Red Stars forward is unlikely to make a return before the end of the NWSL season, she showed up for USWNT training in Chicago before Rapinoe’s finale.
So did Sauerbrunn, who has spent her entire USWNT career playing alongside Rapinoe. The 38-year-old defender made her debut in 2008, two years after Rapinoe, and they played together at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 World Cup tournaments. Sauerbrunn had to miss the 2023 tournament due to a foot injury.
While Swanson nor Sauerbrunn are still recovering, and neither made the roster for the September training camp, they came together to honor their retiring teammate.
💙❤️ @mPinoe ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/DV4nWDCpQZ
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) September 23, 2023
The NWSL is kicking off its second year of free agency, with U.S. women’s national team stars Rose Lavelle, Crystal Dunn and Mallory Swanson among the big names.
How does free agency work?
The free agency period, which began Friday, will look a little bit different than it did upon its debut in 2022. Last year, all players on expiring contracts with at least six years of NWSL experience were eligible for free agency.
This year, the pool has expanded. Any player with at least five years of service and an expiring contact is eligible for unrestricted free agency, while any player with at least three years of service and an expiring contract is eligible for restricted free agency.
Unrestricted free agents can negotiate a new contract with any NWSL club, including expansion clubs Bay FC and Utah Royals FC.
Restricted free agents also can negotiate with any NWSL club, but a player’s current team will have seven days to match any offer received, in salary, bonus structure and years. If the team does not match the offer, the player can sign with the new team, as spelled out in the NWSL’s collective bargaining agreement.
Players can sign contracts with new teams for the 2024 season starting on Nov. 20. Seven players eligible for free agency, including Gotham FC’s Sinead Farrelly, have a mutual option with their current club, which would have to be exercised on or before Nov. 20.
Which players are eligible?
The full list of 75 eligible NWSL free agents for the upcoming offseason is available here. Of those, 20 are restricted free agents, and 55 are unrestricted free agents.
Top unrestricted free agents include:
- Tierna Davidson, Chicago Red Stars
- Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
- Sarah Gorden, Angel City FC
- Casey Krueger, Chicago Red Stars
- Savannah McCaskill, Angel City FC
- Rose Lavelle, OL Reign
- Emily Sonnett, OL Reign
- Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars
Top restricted free agents include:
- Emina Ekic, Racing Louisville
- Emily Fox, North Carolina Courage
- Madison Hammond, Angel City FC
Alex Morgan is the top player in the NWSL in the “EA Sports FC 24” ratings.
The top soccer video game released its player ratings ahead of its release on Sept. 29, and the 34-year-old star striker for the U.S. women’s national team and San Diego Wave leads all players in the U.S. league. She also ranks as the only USWNT player in the top 10 across all women’s leagues.
Among NWSL players, Morgan sits in first place with a score of 89, while Kansas City Current forward Debinha comes in a close second with a rating of 88. Sophia Smith is tied with Debinha at 88, while Rose Lavelle is in fourth at 87.
The Portland Thorns have the most players among the top 10 with three, while OL Reign and San Diego each have two players.
Across all players, Morgan sits tied for fifth and Debinha tied for ninth. Spain’s Alexia Putellas holds the top spot by herself with a score of 91. She is followed closely by her Spain teammate Aitana Bonmatí, Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen and Australia’s Sam Kerr who all have scores of 90.
Morgan also had been the lone USWNT player in the top 10 of EA Sports’ 2023 Women’s World Cup player ratings.
EA Sports FC: International women’s player ratings
- Alexia Putellas, Spain – 91
- Aitana Bonmatí, Spain – 90
- Caroline Graham Hansen, Norway – 90
- Sam Kerr, Australia – 90
- Kadidiatou Diani, France – 89
- Ada Hegerberg, Norway – 89
- Mapi León, Spain – 89
- Alex Morgan, United States – 89
- Debinha, Brazil – 88
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto, France – 88
EA Sports FC: NWSL player ratings
- Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave FC – 89
- Debinha, Kansas City Current – 88
- Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns – 88
- Rose Lavelle, OL Reign – 87
- Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars – 86
- Becky Sauerbrunn, Portland Thorns – 85
- Megan Rapinoe, OL Reign – 85
- Amandine Henry, Angel City – 85
- Kailen Sheridan, San Diego Wave FC – 85
- Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns – 84
Mallory Swanson shared an injury update Wednesday on her Instagram account, posting a video of herself running on grass for the first time since her knee injury in April.
The 25-year-old forward, who stars for the Chicago Red Stars and the U.S. women’s national team, has not played since tearing the patellar tendon in her left knee. But the latest update represents a major step forward in her recovery, as Swanson acknowledged in her caption: “Big day woooo!!”
Just last week, Red Stars head coach Chris Petrucelli said Swanson was running on an antigravity treadmill and had not yet made the transition to regular ground.
#ChiStars and #USWNT forward Mal Swanson is back running on grass!!
— Taylor Vincent (@tayvincent6) September 6, 2023
The last update from Chicago HC Chris Petrucelli was on 9/1 and that she was on an antigravity machine
🎥: @MalPugh Instagram pic.twitter.com/7JTWpDBpYZ
A return this NWSL season hasn’t been ruled out, although Petrucelli did call it “a reach” when speaking with reporters last week. A patellar tendon tear can take up to a year to heal, according to the Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, and the Red Stars have not established a firm timeline with Swanson.
“We’ve never put a timeline on Mal. And actually, we still haven’t discussed the timeline with her,” he said. “Obviously, we’re running out of games here.”
Chicago has four games left in the NWSL regular season, with the Red Stars sitting at the bottom of the league table. With Swanson’s contract expiring at the end of this season, she will enter the offseason as a free agent. But for now, she is focused on getting back and healthy.
“I don’t have downtime. It is all rehab, just focusing on that,” she told Just Women’s Sports in July. “I’ve learned that it’s just a process, and yeah, I think that you can just enjoy it. As much as it might not be fun, I think that there’s still so much positive that you can get out of it.”