The NWSL Offseason Put Important New Faces In New Places

In less than two weeks, a new season of the NWSL kicks off. If that causes you to do a double take— Didn’t Rose Lavelle just score the championship game-winner, like, last week? —you’re not alone. The championship match was followed immediately by a December full of the NWSL’s favorite pastime: controversy. In this case, it was a very public battle over the fate of Washington Spirit superstar Trinity Rodman. The free agent’s choice to remain with the Spirit, announced on Jan. 22, was no doubt the most followed storyline of the offseason and has enormous consequences for the league’s future roster-building and labor relations, but a player staying with her team doesn’t exactly shake up the league. Good thing general managers across the country were hard at work, wheeling and dealing to improve their clubs’ chances in the new season.

Below, I’ve chosen one newcomer to highlight for each team in the league. These are all players who I think can make a real difference for their new clubs. For expansion sides Boston Legacy and Denver Summit, I limited myself to choosing from players who will be playing in the NWSL for the first time. Allez!

Angel City FC: Ary Borges