The player’s rights will go to the Pacific Northwest side, which confirmed that a transfer to Europe is difficult
OL Reign announced that they have acquired the rights to midfielder Rose Lavelle in a deal with the Washington Spirit, with the American national team star expected to join Manchester City immediately.
The Spirit received a first franchise in the deal in 2022, along with $ 100,000 in allocation money, and additional allocation money conditional on Lavelle’s future play status in the NWSL.
OL Reign confirmed that Lavelle would leave the NWSL trade, with The Athletic reporting the midfielder will join Manchester City next week on a one-year deal with a mutual option.
“The agreement with Washington was made with the understanding that Lavelle is expected to sign an agreement to play outside the NWSL with immediate effect,” OL Reign said in a statement. “As a result of the deal, OL Reign will control Lavelle’s future play rights in the NWSL.”
After the end of the month-long Challenge Cup in July, the NWSL currently has no matches scheduled for 2020, although there are reports that the league could return to some capacity next month.
As players look for guaranteed minutes out of the league, Lavelle will join USWNT teammate Sam Mewis in the NWSL trade deal for Man City, with Mewis signing a deal last week.
“Our project with OL Reign is ambitious, which requires taking smart, strategic risks to achieve our goals,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “We all know Rose is a special player, so this is a chance for me to take.
“I hope we have the opportunity to work with Rose in the future, and I’m excited to support her as she works to reach her destination as one of the best players in the world.”
Lavelle spent three years with the Spirit, but made just 21 appearances for the club as a combination of injuries, international duty and the Covid-19 pandemic reduced her time on the field.
“Rose is truly a world-class player, and working with her has been an incredibly enjoyable experience,” Spirit head coach Richie Burke said in a club release.
“I cannot thank her enough for her work on behalf of our club and for the relationship we shared in our time together. I wish her the best of luck and the happiness of staying healthy as she moves on to this next phase of her career. ”
Lavelle has scored 12 goals and added seven assists in 45 appearances for the USWNT, including a bronze ball-winning performance in 2019, when the U.S. won its second straight World Cup title.
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