Chelsea are poised to sign United States international Catarina Macario from French side Lyon subject to medical clearance.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is due to join the Women’s Super League team following the expiry of her contract this summer.
Macario, who starred at Stanford University, scoring 63 goals in 68 matches, before moving to Lyon in January 2021, is a creative player. Her preferred position is a false nine but she is versatile and can act as a playmaker, drop deeper in midfield or lead the forward line in a front three.
The Brazilian-born American was instrumental in Lyon’s 2021-22 season, helping them regain the Division 1 Feminine and Champions League titles. She was Lyon’s top goalscorer with 23 goals and became the first American to score in a Women’s Champions League final in 3-1 win over Barcelona last year.
Macario, however, has been out injured for the entirety of this season having torn her anterior cruciate ligament in Lyon’s final league game of the 2021-22 season.
She made her debut for the US Women’s National Team in January 2021, but is yet to return to the field and is a doubt for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
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