Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said that United States women’s national team defender Naomi Girma will make her debut for the club vs. Brighton & Hove Albion in Women’s Super League play on Sunday.
The squad inclusion is Girma’s first since joining the club in a record $1.1 million deal last month from the San Diego Wave. Girma became the first player to break the $1m mark in the women’s game.
The fee surpasses the previous record deal of $767,600, paid by NWSL side Bay FC to sign Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji from Madrid CFF in February 2024.
Last month, she was presented to the crowd at Stamford Bridge before Chelsea’s Women’s Super League (WSL) victory over Arsenal but has not yet played. Girma missed February’s SheBelieves Cup for the United States due to a calf injury.
Girma, Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel trained over the international break. Kerr and Fishel are recovering from ACL injuries.
“Naomi, we practiced really well during these two weeks,” the Chelsea head coach said. “We brought some [academy] boys [into training] and we had the best players from the academy, the girls, and I think we had a nice environment for them to practice in. Naomi should be in the squad for the game on Sunday.”
Chelsea are facing a quick…
