For months, there has been speculation over Sam Kerr's future. There were rumours she would join Lindsey Heaps at the Denver summit, but she denied them. The latest report is that she is returning to the NWSL to join the current champions, NJ/NY Gotham FC, on a free transfer after leaving Chelsea for a six-and-a-half-year spell in the WSL, which was royally derailed by her 20-month absence due to an ACL injury.
The 32-year-old Australian international played for Gotham when it was Sky Blue FC. She also played for Western New York Flash, and the team she moved to the WSL from was the Chicago Red Stars.
She left the WSL Chelsea's record goalscorer; she should have exceeded the record of a goal that was rightfully given for going over the line. She achieved five WSL titles, three FA Cups, three League Cups and 116 goals in 158 games. She also achieved multiple WSL Golden Boots, WSL player of the year and was second place in the 2023 Ballon d’Or.
The 2025/26 season saw her return from a long-term injury and finish strong, becoming the season's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions, including a decisive final-day goal in a 1-0 win over Manchester United.
She reportedly joined the club she previously played for between 2015 and 2016, where she scored 28 goals in 40 appearances. This would be her third spell in the NWSL, and it would not be a surprise if she moved to the US, given that her wife is American.
Gotham FC works well for an ambitious player like Kerr, as they are the reigning NWSL champions and are actively strengthening their squad to defend their title. Signing Kerr will not qualify as a high-impact player for the season, which is where the club may exceed the league's established salary cap by up to a million dollars if the players meet the threshold.
This is because of her recent injuries, which have dropped her out of the top 30 of the Ballon d’Or voting, the top 40 of The Guardian's top 100, and the top 40 of ESPN’s top 5. She has not been a recent NWSL MVP finalist for Best CI honours, nor is she an American international star.
The exclusion of elite global icons like Kerr sparked significant backlash from fans and the NWSL Players Association, who argued that the system unfairly penalised injured players and prioritised rigid media metrics over actual talent. In response, the NWSL moved to eliminate the predetermined criteria. The amendment hands full roster and financial determination back to individual club sporting departments. This rule change was specifically designed to accommodate Kerr's highly publicised move to Gotham FC.
The Australian captain will be an invaluable signing, one of the most recognised names in women's football and an elite goalscorer, even after her ACL injuries, with last season's stats proving that, backed by extensive experience.
The New Jersey-based team currently sits in the mid-to-upper table of the league, which only started in March. If this move occurs, she will reunite with familiar former Chelsea teammates in Jess Carter, Ann-Katrin Berger and Guro Reiten, which will undoubtedly make the move more intense and easier to handle.
The club has heavily invested off the pitch. The club has announced plans for a new $35 million training facility, a 3,000-square-foot gym, hydrotherapy and recovery facilities, and multiple grass pitches, including a heated surface.
If this move happens, it will be a full-circle moment and could be the last destination in her career. One major talking point is Gotham’s decision to trade defender Lilly Reale in a separate move, which raised questions about squad balance. Still, Kerr’s arrival is viewed as offsetting that loss by adding elite attacking output.
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