USWNT transfer evaluations: Rodman, Heaps, Macario, and additional transactions
The inaugural transfer window of the NWSL featuring the league’s new “Rodman Rule” concluded dramatically on Monday.
Forward Catarina Macario of the U.S. women’s national team has signed with the San Diego Wave, as confirmed by sources to ESPN. The agreement extends through 2030 and is valued at approximately $8 million, believed to be the largest total contract in women’s soccer history. The Wave will leverage the NWSL’s new rule to compensate Macario.
The High Impact Player rule, referred to as the “Rodman rule,” was established in December to ensure that Trinity Rodman remained with the Washington Spirit. Sources have confirmed that Rodman is earning over $2 million annually, making her the highest-paid player in the world on a yearly basis.
These two signings—Macario and Rodman—underscore a typically hectic and active offseason for the NWSL, particularly regarding USWNT players changing teams. (While Rodman did not transfer, her contract negotiations were a focal point of the offseason.)
Which USWNT players and teams executed significant moves and eye-catching deals? Let’s delve into the report cards!
Note: All figures are derived from ESPN’s reporting, except those confirmed by teams.
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Catarina Macario to San Diego Wave FC
$300,000 transfer from Chelsea
Grade for Macario: A
Grade for San Diego: A
Last month, ESPN reported that the Wave were nearing a deal to sign Macario, likely for the summer on a free transfer, but finalizing the agreement now for $300,000 is advantageous for a Wave team in need of a No. 9 to consistently lead the scoring efforts. Their opening-weekend loss to the Houston Dash serves as a reminder, where San Diego dominated the midfield and created numerous chances but failed to score. (Does that sound familiar from 2025?)
The $300,000 is a worthwhile investment to secure Macario a few months early, and the $8 million compensation package is structured in a way that, with the new HIP rule, the annual salary cap impact should be manageable.
For Macario, this opportunity is hard to overlook. San Diego is her hometown after relocating from Brazil at the age of 12 in 2011, and the Wave train near the fields of her youth club, San Diego Surf. ESPN previously reported that her desire to return home significantly influenced Macario’s choice.
After an impressive college career at Stanford, Macario signed her first professional contract with Lyon in 2021 and then transferred to Chelsea in 2023. She returns to San Diego aiming to maintain her health and productivity ahead of what could be a pivotal role for her with the USWNT at the 2027 World Cup in her native Brazil.
Trinity Rodman re-signs with Washington Spirit
Grade for Rodman: A
Grade for Spirit: A
Once again, securing the financial reward.
Rodman and the Spirit collectively urged the NWSL to implement necessary changes: a more effective method for compensating star players. This is a significant achievement for both the player and the club, marking a turning point for the NWSL.
Regardless of the outcome of the HIP rule in arbitration—the NWSL Players Association has contested the qualifying criteria as a breach of the CBA—there will be a distinct NWSL before and after the Rodman agreement. Macario’s lucrative contract further substantiates this.
Rodman always intended to remain with the Spirit; she simply sought fair compensation. She achieved that with a record-breaking deal. Now, Rodman is positioned to be the standout player for her team and a vital contributor, which may not have been guaranteed had she opted to play overseas.
Washington also successfully structured the substantial contract in a manner that does not severely impact their salary cap, thanks to the financial expertise of new president of soccer operations Haley Carter. Cliché as it may sound, this was a win-win-win situation.
play1:53Trinity Rodman: Record contract ‘another stepping stone for women’s soccer’
Washington Spirit and USWNT star Trinity Rodman joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss her record contract and the future of women’s soccer in the U.S.
Lindsey Heaps to Denver Summit FC
Free transfer from OL Lyonnes (summer arrival)
Grade for Heaps: A
Grade for Denver: A-
The narrative for Heaps could not be scripted better, as she grew up just outside of Denver and still has a residence there. She left home at 18 in 2012 to pursue a professional career, being the first American woman to take that route directly from high school, well over a decade before it became commonplace.
Heaps spent the majority of her career in France, with a successful MVP-level period with the Portland Thorns in between, and now she will return home this summer as a 32-year-old leading her new, ambitious local club.
This move is a no-brainer for Denver from a business standpoint. Heaps is the USWNT captain with significant local recognition. On the field, she is also a player around whom the Summit can build, providing essential leadership to the expansion team navigating the league for the first time.
The only drawback is that Heaps will not arrive until summer, which may complicate her integration, but this is clearly a long-term strategy for both Denver and Heaps.
The benefits should materialize in 2027, Heaps’ first complete season with the team (and notably, fellow Colorado native Sophia Wilson will again be a free agent later this year).
Claire Hutton to Bay FC
$1.1 million transfer from Kansas City Current
Grade for Hutton: B+
Grade for Bay FC: A+
Hutton emerged as a teenage sensation in Kansas City—the top teen in the NWSL, in our view—and this propelled her into the USWNT spotlight. She is now almost certain to be included in the World Cup roster and is likely to contend for a starting position.
The credit for her advancement primarily goes to the exceptionally mature Hutton and the initial two years of development she received under Vlatko Andonovski. (Hutton, who hails from Albany, NY, turned professional with Kansas City after training with Gotham FC.)
Hutton had a solid situation in Kansas City, including genuine championship aspirations. However, with Andonovski now serving as the sporting director, circumstances have shifted.
Hutton’s rising profile attracted interest from various suitors, both domestically and internationally, and her regular appearances with the USWNT in 2025 made her eligible for the HIP rule, providing her with numerous potentially lucrative options. Her previous contract was also set to expire at the end of 2026. A transfer from Kansas City seemed unavoidable.
At Bay, she will also assume a more prominent leadership role, which could benefit her on the international stage. Bay FC has been in dire need of direction on the field since its inception in 2024, particularly requiring a midfield leader to help control matches.
Acquiring Hutton effectively addresses a significant need and, importantly, demonstrates intent and ambition that could positively influence future signings. For Bay, this was a pay-whatever-it-takes transfer, and they successfully executed it.
Croix Bethune to Kansas City Current
$1 million transfer from Washington Spirit
Grade for Bethune: A-
Grade for Kansas City: A-
Bethune, the 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year, transitioning from the Spirit—at her own request—was unexpected. She played a crucial role in the Spirit’s consecutive runners-up finishes (despite an injury during her rookie season) and appeared to be a key component for another title run this year alongside Rodman.
However, Bethune consistently expressed upon her arrival in Kansas City that she felt the need to make a move for her career development. Scoring a goal in her Kansas City debut during Saturday’s season opener was certainly a gratifying early return on her decision.
For Kansas City, Bethune represents a long-term option that adds creativity to their midfield. There are concerns about Bethune and Debinha occupying similar areas on the field, but those are minor issues, and the 34-year-old Debinha won’t be around indefinitely (or perhaps she will, as Marta’s situation suggests).
In isolation, Bethune is an excellent addition for the Current. However, in light of losing Hutton in a deal announced simultaneously, the Current’s strong midfield now faces some uncertainties as a unit. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that this was a savvy move for the Current from a financial standpoint: they lost Hutton and acquired Bethune for a net gain of $100,000.
Eva Gaetino to Denver Summit
Undisclosed fee from Paris Saint-Germain
Grade for Gaetino: A
Grade for Denver: A-
Gaetino is an emerging USWNT defender who had been with PSG since turning professional in early 2024. Her return to the U.S. is well-timed to coincide with the establishment of a new team and to place her in a competitive environment weekly under the watch of USWNT coach Emma Hayes.
In Denver, Gaetino will partner with veteran NWSL center-back Kaleigh Kurtz, providing an excellent learning opportunity for Gaetino as she enters the league.
For Denver, Gaetino can serve as a foundational piece for the future on the defensive line as she joins on a three-year contract. Gaetino brings U.S. national team experience, which Denver has clearly structured its roster around, while also adding valuable years of European experience. Coupled with another significant addition of a rising USWNT fullback—Ayo Oke, who ESPN previously reported joined via a $450,000 transfer from Pachuca—Denver is well-positioned as an expansion team.
Sam Coffey to Manchester City
$875,000 transfer from Portland Thorns
Grade for Coffey: A
Grade for Thorns: B-
Sam Coffey’s offseason transition from the Portland Thorns to Manchester City was a year in the making, motivated by her desire to enhance her skills and experience life in England. Coffey, already a starting midfielder for the USWNT and a top NWSL player, will now challenge herself beyond her comfort zone in Manchester.
In this context, the Thorns found themselves in a difficult position. Preventing the move was not a viable option, and losing their captain—the heart of the team—was always going to create an irreplaceable gap. This effectively left them trying to secure the best possible fee for Coffey, which they managed reasonably well.
As seven-figure transfers become more commonplace, it is easy to question why this fee wasn’t higher, but it is important to note that Coffey is a defensive midfielder—far from the glamorous goal-scoring forward likely to command a higher fee—and it remains a top-10 global transfer.
The real challenge for the Thorns is that they had ample time to prepare for Coffey’s exit—just as they had time to hire a coach more swiftly than they did—but a solution is still in development. In the meantime, Coffey’s absence will be noticeable.
