Sam Kerr is the best striker in women’s football, and it appears Real Madrid have a shot at signing the former Chicago Red Stars forward.
The NWSL is the most competitive league in women’s football, and Sam Kerr is the most dominant player in said league. After returning from leading Australia to the knockout stages in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Kerr led the Chicago Red Stars to the NWSL finals, where they suffered a tough defeat to the North Carolina Courage.
Although Kerr has been a key part of the NWSL over the last several years, her inability to split time between Australia’s Perth Glory and an NWSL side ensured that the writing would be on the wall. As expected, the Washington Post’s Steven Goff reports that the 2019 NWSL MVP will be leaving the United States best football product for a big club in Europe.
During the World Cup this year, Kerr was linked to an offer approaching one million dollars annually from Chelsea, who are currently leading the FA Women’s Super League by a point over rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.
But Kerr could also have interest from Real Madrid, who are looking to build a roster of Galacticas. They signed Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson, who are Sweden’s best attacking players. They also added another NWSL star in Chioma Ubogagu, who was the Orlando Pride’s best player this past season.
Kerr would be of a different level of quality, though, than even Ubogagu and Asllani, who are both world-class players. That’s because Kerr is quite literally a record-breaker, and she set the record for the most goals in an NWSL this season with 19 despite missing time due to the World Cup.
Confirming @SoccerInsider's report: Sam Kerr has informed Chicago she won't return next season. Final destination still TBD. Chelsea long in consideration. Real Madrid/Tacon in the mix.
— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) November 1, 2019
This week's NWSL rules weren't made just for Kerr but obviously there are some optics.
Goff also reports that Real Madrid are “in the mix” for Kerr, along with Chelsea and PSG.
Chelsea could be seen as the favorites due to the long links, and Spanish football’s poor treatment of women in football could lead to a strike that would hurt Real’s chances.
But Real also have the ambition, prestige, money, and, yes, need. They need superstars like Kerr, especially since CD Tacon’s first season in the top flight – and last season before officially becoming Real Madrid – has been a rough one. The team is in 14th place.
Yes, Tacon/Real need defenders above all else, but a superstar like Kerr would help immensely. Imagine watching her, Ubogagu, Jakobsson, Thaisa, Jessica Martinez, and Asllani on the same team. Goals.
Kerr would be a dream signing in every sense of the world, and Real certainly have the financial capability to make this move. They’ve been loosely linked to Megan Rapinoe, but Kerr would be an even bigger acquisition for a team in need of multiple global superstars.