Chelsea agree club record deal for USA forward Thompson

Alyssa Thompson has scored three goals in 22 USA appearances

Chelsea have agreed a club record deal to sign USA international Alyssa Thompson from Angel City.

The 20-year-old forward has completed a medical and is expected to sign a five-year contract with the Blues.

Sources at Chelsea claim the fee is worth just under £1m, which won't break the Women's Super League (WSL) record - the £1m paid by Arsenal to sign Canada forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool in July.

However, this is disputed by USA sources, who say the fee is an initial £1.1m, which could rise to £1.4m with potential add-ons.

Smith's move was the world record for around a month, but was then broken by Mexico forward Lizbeth Ovalle's £1.1m ($1.5m) move from Tigres to Orlando Pride.

Thompson is one of the most exciting talents in the world and the deal will definitely surpass Chelsea's previous transfer record for USA defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave in January.

She arrives to strengthen a Chelsea attack which has lost striker Mayra Ramirez to a significant hamstring injury - ruling out the Colombia international until January - and England forward Lauren James, who misses the season opener against Manchester City.

Chelsea host City at Stamford Bridge on Friday night (19:30 BST) and Thompson's signing will be welcome news for home supporters.

Chelsea spend big to remain on top

With six successive WSL titles under their belt, Chelsea are showing no signs of slowing down in their desire to stay on top.

They are still chasing an elusive first Women's Champions League title and have backed manager Sonia Bompastor ever since she arrived at the club a year ago.

First providing the funds to bring in USA's Girma, fighting off competition from French side Lyon in the process, to then bringing in Australian full-back Ellie Carpenter from the eight-time European champions this summer.

Now they have added the icing on the cake with Thompson.

The additions they have made in the transfer window shows Chelsea's continued ambition and their understanding that rival clubs are battling to catch up.

Arsenal's stunning victory over Barcelona in last season's Champions League final has put them in a strong position and the Gunners pulled out the stops to bring in Smith, former Liverpool vice-captain Taylor Hinds and England winger Chloe Kelly on a permanent deal from Manchester City.

Injuries in Chelsea's frontline threatened to put them on the back foot for the start of the campaign, but knowing Arsenal had strengthened and even newly promoted WSL side London City Lionesses have spent big, the Blues acted sharply.

It has kept them in front for all this time and seen them become one of the most dominant teams in English women's football history.

Thompson's arrival is not only the latest trend of big-money moves at the club, but a statement of intent that they remain desperate to win a European crown.

For the young forward herself, it is a chance to break through on the main European stage, to play Champions League football and to experience a different style of football.

She has already become an established international under USA boss Emma Hayes - formerly of Chelsea - and this is an exciting challenge in her career.

It is a blow to the National Women's Soccer League as it loses one of its rising stars, as well as Angel City, who tried to hold out under pressure from Chelsea to sell.

The WSL's ambition is to be widely regarded as the world's best domestic league in women's football and this is another step towards that.

Why is Thompson so highly-rated?

Thompson's pedigree has grown immensely in a short space of time, having been selected as the first pick in the NWSL draft by Angel City in 2023, while still at high school.

Angel City paid Portland Thorns and Gotham FC $450,000 (£335,000) to secure the first pick, essentially making her the league's most expensive player at the time, breaking the record previously set by US icon Alex Morgan.

It took Thompson just 11 minutes to score on her NWSL debut and a year later she found herself lining up alongside her sister Gisele - the first time two siblings were named in the starting XI of the same team in the league's history.

The sisters have also featured together for the USA, with Chelsea's new addition being part of the squad who competed at the 2023 Women's World Cup and won gold at the 2024 Olympic Games under manager Hayes.

Angel City were keen to keep hold of Thompson after an impressive start to her career so she signed a contract extension in January to tie her down until 2028.

That ultimately proved to be a vital piece of business for the club, with Chelsea circling and required to pay a heavier fee this summer.

Thompson's biggest trait is her pace, having excelled in track running at school, setting a record time of 11.69 seconds in the 100m in the California state championships.

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