da leao： The Portland Thorns are set to pay an NWSL record fee to Chelsea in order to land Canada international Jessie Fleming.
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Thorns set to acquire Chelsea's FlemingWill pay NWSL record feeCanada star leaves Blues on good termsWHAT HAPPENED?
reports that the Blues midfielder, who can play on the wing as well, is set to depart after nearly four years at the club. The 25-year-old will link-up with USWNT star Sophia Smith at the Thorns, as they look to bolster their roster for the 2024 campaign.
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The fee that the Thorns are set to pay is believed to be a league-record, nearing $316,000 (£250,000). The report adds that Fleming said goodbye to all her Chelsea teammates earlier this week, and that she's left the club in good standing.
After the Thorns lost USWNT star Crystal Dunn to free agency earlier this year, it was expected they would be active in the market for a replacement, but bringing in Fleming is a blockbuster move. The 25-year-old will instantly slot into the XI in what would be expected to be an attacking midfield role. Head coach Mike Norris will look to integrate her as fast as possible, with the upcoming season less than two months away.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fleming was a teenage prodigy in world soccer, having made her international debut for Canada at 15-years-old in December 2013. She leaves Chelsea having made over 100 appearances in all competitions, during which time she helped the club win three WSL titles and FA Cups.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR FLEMING AND THE PORTLAND THORNS?
The 2024 NWSL campaign gets underway on March 15 with the Challenge Cupbetween the San Diego Wave and Gotham FC. Then, just under a week later, the rest of the league will take the pitch to begin the new season. Until then, clubs are set to report for preseason training sometime between January 23 and February 6. For Fleming, it's now about making her transatlantic journey to the West Coast of the USA and settling in her new home.