EM Dash-USA TODAY Sports
Thembi Kgatlana is leaving the National Women’s Soccer League to head to Mexico.
Racing Louisville announced on Wednesday that they have transferred the South African star forward to Tigres Femenil in Liga MX for a substantial return. In exchange for Kgatlana, Racing receives $275,000, the second highest transfer fee for an outgoing player in league history, apart from Lindsey Horan’s transfer from the Portland Thorns to Olympique Lyonnais earlier this year.
And that’s not all. Racing will receive another $25,000 if the forward scores 20 or more goals for Tigres in her time at the club. Should Tigres choose to transfer Kgatlana in the future, Racing will also get a 5% sell-on clause.
Sources say Kgatlana herself will receive a salary equivalent to $550,000 per year from Tigres. To put this in perspective, Maria Sanchez just became the highest-paid player in the NWSL with a salary worth nearly $1.5 million over four years — assuming the fourth-year option is exercised and bonuses are met….
