National Women’s Soccer League newcomers Bay FC have signed Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji from Madrid CFF for a reported world-record fee.
The deal for the 23-year-old is reported to be an initial 735,000 euros
Kundananji, who scored 33 goals in 43 Liga F games for Madrid, has agreed a four-year deal with the option of a further year.
Bay FC are a new team in the NWSL, and 2024 will be their first season.
If the fee is confirmed for her switch to the United States, Kundananji will be the first African player, male or female, to break a world transfer record.
England midfielder Keira Walsh was previously the most expensive women’s player following her £400,000 switch from Manchester City to Barcelona in 2022.
That could be surpassed by Chelsea’s deal to sign Colombia striker Mayra Ramirez from Levante for an initial £384,000, with add-ons potentially taking it up to £426,600.
However, that too would now be a distant second following the landmark deal to take Kundananji from Spain to San Jose, where Bay FC will play their home games.
“I want to give the [Bay FC] fans what they want – to enjoy the games, to enjoy seeing me playing and scoring.” she said
Kundananji began her career with Zambian side Indeni Roses before moving to BIIK Kazygurt in Kazakhstan in 2019, where she first played in the Women’s Champions League.
Two years later, she joined Spanish top-flight side Eibar and eight league goals in her only season with the Basque club earned the pacey forward a move to Madrid.
She scored 25 goals in 29 league games to help Madrid CFF to a fifth-placed finish, the best in their history, last season and has added another eight in 14 league matches this campaign.
Kundananji also played – and scored – at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and has 10 goals in 18 games for Zambia.
The latest big-money move adds to the record spending in the women’s game with world governing body Fifa reporting that transfer fees totalled $2.1m in January, a 165.5% increase on January 2023.
That is despite the number of international transfers rising by just 0.3% from 12 months ago.
Kundananji joins Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala and former Arsenal defender Jen Beattie at Bay FC after both players signed deals with the club earlier this month.
