The North Carolina Courage have agreed to trade U.S. midfielder Jaedyn Shaw to NJ/NY Gotham FC for a record $1.25 million transfer fee, more than doubling the previous record set last month, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic.
The trade was first reported by ESPN on Monday night.
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The transfer fee for Shaw is set to be more than double the intra-league record previously set when Kansas City Current in August paid $600,000 to the Utah Royals for midfielder Ally Sentnor, another rising U.S. national team star.
A source with knowledge of the deal indicated the fee will be paid over multiple instalments and entirely with intra-league transfer funds. Gotham plans to sign Shaw on a contract through 2029.
While the secondary transfer window recently closed for any international arrival to the NWSL, trades between clubs can continue until Oct. 9.
Both Gotham and the Courage declined to comment when reached for this story.
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Gotham currently sits 6th in league standings with 27 points and has been slowly climbing the NWSL ranks in recent weeks. They boast a 7-6-6 record, with forward Esther Gonzelez tied at the top of the Golden Boot race with 12 goals.
The club has struggled with creativity in their attack this year. With Shaw, the club will now have a versatile attacker known for her playmaking abilities. The 20-year-old provides an unexpected boost to the 2023 NWSL Champions, as they continue their playoff push and look ahead to a calendar riddled with intercontinental competitions.
Considering the length of Shaw’s contract and hefty transfer fee, it’s likely Gotham envisions Shaw as a foundational piece of their system moving forward.
Shaw signed with the Courage in January and was under contract through 2026. The Texas native arrived in North Carolina from San Diego Wave, after expressing her desire for a new challenge. Shaw won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Challenge Cup with the California club.
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In their trade for Shaw, the Courage sent $300,000 in allocation money, an international spot for the 2025 and 2026 NWSL seasons and $150,000 in intra-league transfer fees to San Diego. With the Courage, Shaw scored three goals and recorded one assist across 19 appearances. In April, she told ESPN she struggled with the club’s expectations.
The Courage currently sit 11th in the table, four points behind the final eighth place playoff spot. In August, the Courage abruptly fired former head coach Sean Nahas.
Shaw could be available for Gotham as soon as this weekend. The New Jersey club travels this week to San Diego, where they will face the Wave on Friday night.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
North Carolina Courage, Gotham FC, NWSL, Women’s Soccer
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