Welcome to the NJ/NY Gotham FC Off-Season Updates page! Here we’re tracking all off-season moves made by Gotham as they prepare to defend their title in the 2024 NWSL season.
November 20 Roster Updates
Gotham begins the off-season with 21 players under contract, exercising their option on midfielder Sinead Farrelly’s contract but not on forward Sabrina Flores.
New contracts were offered to defender Ellie Jean and midfielder Taryn Torres. Svava Guðmundsdóttir is currently on loan. All three are included in the aforementioned 21 player figure.
Gotham has five players going into free agency:
- Michelle Betos
- Imani Dorsey
- Allie Long
- Mana Shim
- McCall Zerboni
November 20 Roster:
- Goalkeepers (2): Mandy Haught, Abby Smith
- Defenders (4): Bruninha, Mandy Freeman, Nealy Martin, Kelley O’Hara
- Midfielders (6): Kristen Edmonds, Sinead Farrelly, Maitane López, Kristie Mewis, Jenna Nighswonger, Yazmeen Ryan, Delanie Sheehan
- Forwards (7): Esther, Svava Guðmundsdóttir (on loan), Ify Onumonu, Margaret Purce, Taylor Smith, Katie Stengel, Lynn Williams
December 12 Trades
Goalkeeper Mandy Haught was traded to Utah in exchange for expansion draft protection and $150,000 in allocation money.
Gotham was also involved in a three-way trade that saw Ellie Jean depart for Bay FC and two draft picks, Gotham’s second and third-round natural picks in the 2024 NWSL Draft, sent to Racing Louisville. Gotham received expansion draft protection from Bay FC as a result of this trade.
December 22
Kristie Mewis departs the NWSL by mutual agreement to terminate her contract with Gotham FC, signing with West Ham United of the WSL. Mewis was a marquee signing in December 2021 as the club sent $200,000 in allocation money to San Diego Wave FC for Mewis, after San Diego selected her from the Houston Dash in the expansion draft for the 2022 season. Mewis played for Gotham for two seasons.
December 30 Trade
Gotham has received $40,000 in allocation money in a trade with Utah, in exchange for Ifeoma Onumonu.
As of December 30, Gotham now has 17 players under contract. They have also traded away two draft picks. They had full protection from the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and $190,000 in allocation money.
New Year, New Signings
On December 31, Crystal Dunn was announced as the first free agent signing of the off-season for Gotham. Dunn signed a three-year contract with the team that will see her in Gotham through the 2026 season, following three seasons with the Portland Thorns.
New Year’s Day brought another free agent announcement with defender Tierna Davison joining the Bats. Davidson’s contract is through the 2026 season and sees her leave Chicago, where she was drafted first overall in the 2019 NWSL College Draft.
This brings the total number of players Gotham has under contract to 19.
January 4
Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett have landed in Gotham. Both Lavelle and Sonnett spent their most recent season with OL Reign, having been traded in 2020 and 2023 respectively to OL Reign from the Washington Spirit. The club announced both free agents have signed on through 2026.
21 players are now on Gotham’s 2024 roster.
January 12 – NWSL Draft Day
Gotham only made one selection in the 2024 NWSL Draft. The 14th pick was used to select defender Maycee Bell, from the University of North Carolina.
As of January 17
Gotham’s 21-player roster is as follows:
- Goalkeepers (1): Abby Smith
- Defenders (5): Bruninha, Tierna Davidson, Mandy Freeman, Nealy Martin, Kelley O’Hara
- Midfielders (8): Kristen Edmonds, Sinead Farrelly, Rose Lavelle, Maitane López, Jenna Nighswonger, Yazmeen Ryan, Delanie Sheehan, Emily Sonnett
- Forwards (6): Esther, Svava Guðmundsdóttir (on loan), Margaret Purce, Taylor Smith, Katie Stengel, Lynn Williams
- Anywhere (1): Crystal Dunn (Gotham has yet to mention a position for Dunn, including the following quote from Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós in their press release announcing her signing “Crystal is an exceptional player who can play anywhere at any time and have an incredible impact on the game…”)
We await Gotham’s pre-season roster to determine where Dunn is expected to play in 2024.
January 22
Gotham announces the signing of restricted free agent forward Ella Stevens to a multiyear contract through 2025, with an option for 2026.
This brings Gotham’s player count to 22.
January 23
Gotham has acquired goalkeeper Cassie Miller from the Kansas City Current in exchange for $70,000 in allocation money as well as a $30,000 intra-league transfer fee. Per Kansas City, Miller was an unrestricted free agent and signed a one-year contract through the 2024 season to facilitate the trade.
She is the 23rd player to be added to Gotham’s roster.