England defender Jess Carter has signed for NWSL club Gotham from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old has made 36 appearances for the Lionesses and has been a key player for the champions since joining from Birmingham City in 2018.
She is believed to have signed a contract through the end of the 2026 NWSL season. Carter’s fiancée, German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, signed for New Jersey-based Gotham from Chelsea in April.
Carter played in 21 of Chelsea’s 22 Women’s Super League games last season, helping them win a fifth successive league title. She was also a crucial part of England’s defence as they reached the World Cup final in Sydney in August last year.
Her departure is a setback for Chelsea’s defence, but the club have strengthened their defensive line with the arrival of English right-back Lucy Bronze on a free transfer from Barcelona.
Leicester have signed 21-year-old French striker Noémie Mouchon on a three-year deal from Reims. Mouchon joins from the former club of new Leicester manager Amandine Miquel. She scored nine goals in 22 league games under Miquel last season.
Chelsea, Leicester and other clubs in the WSL and Championship that operate a “professional game academy” are being invited to enter their under-21 academy teams into the FA Women’s National League Plate competition from the new season. The Plate is a trophy for senior teams competing in the third and fourth tiers of the English women’s league pyramid.
Prize money is introduced for the WNL Cup – including for clubs in the third and fourth tiers – and Plate competitions for the first time, with the winners receiving £4,000. Should an academy team from the higher tiers be successful in a round where prize money would be awarded, they would not be eligible for prize money.
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Everton have confirmed the signing of Inma Gabarro after her contract with Sevilla expired. The 21-year-old won the Golden Boot at the 2022 Under-20 World Cup and made her debut for the Spanish senior team that year.