“We have been each bridesmaids,” mentioned Zelem, a former Manchester United captain. “But Claire could not go as a result of Angel City had a sport.”
So the 2 World Cup veterans determined to reunite in Los Angeles, with Zelem signing a free agent cope with Angel City that can hold her within the NWSL via 2026.
“The NWSL clearly speaks for itself. It’s one of the crucial aggressive leagues on the planet,” Zelem mentioned. “I had a couple of choices, which was to remain in England, to go to Europe, to go to the United States. And to me, Angel City exhibits an enormous ambition in the place they need to go.
“They have a undertaking that they need to construct on. And it is so thrilling to be concerned.”
Zelem, initially from Manchester, made her skilled debut for Liverpool at 17, then performed a season in Italy with Juventus earlier than returning dwelling to play for United in 2018. She was named crew captain forward of her second season there and went on to attain 32 targets and seize 46 assists in 161 appearances in all competitions.
Zelem, 28, is the sixth European worldwide to signal with Angel City and will fill the void within the crew’s midfield created by the departure of Savannah McCaskill, who led the crew in targets in every of her first two seasons earlier than leaving as a free agent final winter.
No midfielder has scored a couple of NWSL objective this season for Angel City (4-9-3), who returns from the Olympic break on Aug. 24 in eleventh place within the 14-team standings, three factors and three spots under the playoff line, with 10 video games to play.
“Katie Zelem is a superb addition to our crew on the good time,” Angel City normal supervisor Angela Hucles Mangano mentioned in a press release. “She has honed her management abilities at a excessive degree as captain of Manchester United, is an achieved midfielder with elite-level soccer acumen, and her want to carry championships to Los Angeles was palpable from the primary communication.”
Zelem, who made two appearances for England finally summer time’s World Cup, mentioned he had been in touch with the membership for weeks.
“It’s been backwards and forwards,” she mentioned. “Obviously, it has been an enormous resolution for me. I reside in Manchester in the mean time, and all my household and associates are in Manchester. So, for me, the 11-hour flight could be very totally different to seeing my dad and mom.
“Angel City was actually affected person with me and let me understand how a lot they might assist me. So it was loads simpler.”
As properly because the dedication of Emslie and striker Christen Press, who performed 14 video games for Manchester United earlier than signing for Angel City forward of the beginning of the crew’s first season.
“They each gave me some nice insights into Angel City. What they’re engaged on, what they’ve now,” he mentioned. “They undoubtedly mentioned the life-style could be very totally different from Manchester.”
Angel City, which was reportedly engaged on a few different offers along with signing Zelem, has till the top of the month to finalize them. The NWSL’s secondary switch window closes on Aug. 30.
