Gotham had one more world-class addition up their sleeve.
Gotham have acquired star Chelsea winger Guro Reiten, the team announced Thursday, two days before they open their NWSL title defense on the road against the expansion Boston Legacy.
The surprise deal is technically a loan through July, when Reiten’s contract expires, and she has agreed to a new contract with Gotham that runs through the 2029 season.
Reiten, 31, has seen her playing time dissipate at Chelsea, which is in the late stages of the Women’s Super League campaign. Reiten is also a mainstay for the Norway national team.
“Gotham has built something special over the past few years, and there’s clear ambition here,” Reiten said, per the team’s release.
The move adds to Gotham’s depth at forward, where the options around star striker Esther Gonzalez include Midge Purce, Khyah Harper, Katie Lampson (formerly Stengel) and rookies Jordynn Dudley and Andrea Kitahata. Gotham last week transferred veteran Gabi Portilho to San Diego.
“Guro is a player of exceptional quality who has consistently performed at the highest levels of the game,” Gotham GM Yael Averbuch West said in the team’s statement. “Her experience competing for major trophies with Chelsea and her impact with the Norwegian national team will bring valuable leadership and attacking creativity to our squad. We’re excited to welcome her to Gotham.”
Gotham goalie Ann-Katrin Berger and defender Jess Carter also previously played at Chelsea, a club that rose to prominence under current U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes.
“A wand of a left foot and an amazing person,” Hayes wrote on Instagram, in response to the Reiten news, per The Athletic. “You’ve got yourself a winner and a fantastic player.”
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