Matildas captain Sam Kerr has returned to the United States and signed with Gotham FC, formerly Sky Blue FC, where she previously set scoring records between 2015 and 2017. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Kerr inked a deal with the New York-based club that will last until the end of the 2030 season.

Return to a Familiar Club

Kerr’s return to Gotham FC marks a homecoming of sorts. She played for the team under its former name Sky Blue FC for three seasons, scoring 28 goals in 40 appearances and currently ranking third on the club’s all-time scoring list. She expressed her excitement about the move, saying, “This club was an important part of my journey and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special.”

OneFootball notes that Kerr will not make her debut for Gotham FC until the transfer window opens on July 14, with the club playing against Washington Spirit the following day. She previously left Gotham FC in a 2018 trade to the Chicago Red Stars, where she scored 35 goals in 43 games before returning to Europe with Chelsea in 2020.

Accolades and Records in England

During her six-and-a-half-year tenure with Chelsea, Kerr became the club’s joint all-time top scorer with 116 goals, sharing the record with Fran Kirby, as According to OneFootball, she contributed to five Women’s Super League (WSL) titles, three FA Cups, and three League Cups. She also earned individual honors. Including two WSL Golden Boots in 2020/21 and 2021/22, and the WSL Player of the Season for 2021/22.

Kerr’s 2018 season in the U.S…. …., with Chicago Red Stars, saw her score 18 goals,then a single-season record in the NWSL—until it was surpassed in 2024 by Temwa Chawinga of the Kansas City Current. Despite leaving the league in 2020. Kerr still holds the NWSL all-time regular-season scoring record with 77 goals, according to the ABC.

Expectations for the Future

Yael Averbuch West, Gotham FC’s president of soccer operations, praised Kerr as “one of the defining players of her generation and a major talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels of world football.” She added that bringing Kerr back is a “landmark moment” for the club.

Kerr, 32, has expressed her desire to help Gotham FC compete for trophies and create more history. “The ambition here is clear and I’m looking forward to helping this team compete for trophies and create more history,” she said. In 2018, while playing for Chicago Fire against Sky Blue FC, Kerr had hinted at issues at her former club, saying “the girls deserve better,” as reported by The Equalizer.

Kerr, who won five WSL titles, three FA Cups, and three League Cups with Chelsea, has also been recognized as one of the best players in the world. She finished second in the Ballon d’Or in 2023 after placing third in the previous two seasons, according to the ABC.