England defender Esme Morgan has signed a four-year deal with National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Washington Spirit after leaving Manchester City.
The 22-year-old had one year left on her contract in England but has opted for a move to the United States, with City receiving a fee for the move.
“I wanted to join the Spirit because they have the ambition and tools to be the best team in the NWSL, and trying to achieve that will be a great but enjoyable challenge,” Morgan said in a club statement.
“On an individual level too, the opportunity to work under Jonatan [Giráldez], one of the world’s best coaches, is really exciting and I look forward to learning from him and pushing myself to become the best player I can be, hopefully helping the team to success.”
Morgan struggled for consistent game time under City manager Gareth Taylor. A source told ESPN that the lack of playing time was part of the reason she chose to leave the Women’s Super League (WSL) runners-up, where she has spent her entire professional career.
The defender earned her first call-up to the England squad in 2020 but has only recently earned a regular…
