Today, Utah Royals FC received $40,000 in allocation money in exchange for FW Ifeoma Onumonu from Gotham FC, the current NWSL champion.
Signed for the 2024–2025 NWSL seasons, Ify Onumonu joins the Utah expansion team as its fifteenth player with the NWSL set to begin play on January 12 and players will report for preseason between January 22 and 29.
Following her deal with OL Reign in 2020, Onumonu has participated in all three of Gotham FC’s seasons with the Nigerian striker playing in 40 games for the NY team during the 2021 and 2022 regular seasons, starting 35 of them.
In approximately 3,000 minutes, she scored 10 goals and provided six assists. Onumonu played in 14 games during the most recent 2023 NWSL regular season, starting four of them totaling 370 minutes and one assist.
“This is an amazing opportunity to be coached by one of the best who ever did it, tapping into Amy Rodriguez’ history with the NWSL and her being a former No. 9,” said Onumonu, also noting that she will reunite with three former teammates in Utah (Imani Dorsey, Mandy Haught, Paige Monaghan)”.
“Having the conversation with Amy and (Sporting Director Kelly Cousins) was incredibly important to me, hearing their vision and understanding the commitment to and investment in providing the best for the athletes is what persuaded me to play for the Royals”.
“I’m quite excited for our style of play,” continued Onumonu. “Amy mentioned that we will look to mix some of what Man City and Bayern Munich try to do – keep the ball, if you lose it, get it back as quickly as possible”.
“This is what interests me – at this point in my career, I want to play with the ball and not run around mindlessly or get caught in kick-and-run. This whole project intrigues me, as I’m always looking to learn more – what better way to learn than to try to emulate a style of play and model ourselves after the best in the world.”
Prior to joining Gotham FC, Onumonu also played for the OL Reign (2019-20) and Portland Thorns (2018), after being drafted as the eighth overall pick by the Boston Breakers in the 2017 NWSL Draft.
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