Kelley O’Hara has signed with NJ/NY Gotham FC.
If this news gives you sense of déjà vu, there’s good reason. The NWSL club announced the addition of the U.S. women’s national team defender back in November, but Gotham did not officially announce the deal until Wednesday.
O’Hara might have forced Gotham’s hand with a very public reveal back at the start of the NWSL’s first free-agency signing period.
“I’ve got a little news for New York tonight,” O’Hara said at an event hosted by the “Men in Blazers” podcast. Then she pulled on a Gotham FC sweatshirt to cheers from the crowd. Gotham FC posted about the reveal on their social media accounts and featured O’Hara’s photo prominently on their websites.
While her reveal made her the first player to join a new team in free agency, she was perhaps not the first free agent to sign a contract, if we read into the long wait for the official announcement.
Indeed, Gotham received a fine from the NWSL in November for prematurely announcing the signing of a player. While neither the club nor the NWSL provided details, O’Hara was the most likely culprit.
