U.S. women’s national team forward Catarina Macario is set to join the San Diego Wave from Chelsea.

The Athletic reported in January that Macario was considering her options with her Chelsea contract expiring in the summer, and had been the subject of interest from NWSL sides.

Sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated the Wave are expected to secure her signature before the NWSL transfer deadline on Monday.

The move would see Macario, 26, play in the NWSL for the first time, having begun her professional career at Lyon after playing college soccer at Stanford.

The U.S. international joined Chelsea from Lyon in 2023 and has made 49 appearances for the London club, scoring 12 goals.

Macario had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in 2022 and did not appear for Chelsea until March 2024, when she scored on her debut against Leicester.

This season, Macario has made 12 appearances across all competitions, eight of which have been as a substitute, and scored two goals — both of which were in Chelsea’s 6-0 win over St Polten in the Champions League. She has not appeared for Chelsea since December 14 and has been dealing with a foot injury.

At the beginning of February she was omitted from Sonia Bompastor’s squad for the Champions League knockout stages.

Macario would become the latest Chelsea player to depart the club for the NWSL, after winger Guro Reiten’s move to Gotham FC was confirmed on Thursday.

What does Macario’s move mean for San Diego?

Analysis from Tamerra Griffin

In signing Macario, San Diego have won the NWSL transfer window — and it’s not even close.

This would be true even if the significance of this move rested solely on Macario’s foray into the NWSL marking a return to her U.S. hometown. But the timing and club rebuild that San Diego have been toiling away at for two seasons now is what elevates it to landmark status.

Macario needs minutes, something that was not always a guarantee at Chelsea whether due to injury or steep competition for starting roles, and she will get plenty of those in San Diego. She will likely slot in just above Kenza Dali in the midfield, helping the French international orchestrate and initiate the team’s attack in their possession-oriented style.

The Wave may have lost their opening match last weekend, but there’s little doubt in the team’s potential or the high-ceiling talent among its younger midfield stars like Kimmi Ascanio, Laurina Fazer and Gia Corley. And if there’s anything to glean from Macario’s recent performances with the USWNT, she offers a crucial generational bridge between younger and older players.

And then there’s the Brazilian factor.

Last summer, San Diego made its first Brazilian signing in forward Dudinha from São Paulo FC. The 20-year-old forward wasted no time making an impact with her new club, scoring five goals in 11 games. Two more Brazilians arrived in the offseason to bolster the Wave’s attack in Ludmila, who joined from the Chicago Stars and scored 10 goals last season, and Gabi Portilho from reigning champions Gotham FC.

Despite her years away from Brazil, Macario has always maintained the technical flair of her home country when on the ball; joining three others could bring even more of that out of her at one of the most exciting times of her career, especially just over a year out from the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Macario’s frustrating Chelsea career

Analysis by Cerys Jones

Macario has not necessarily been a consistent starter for Chelsea, but her departure is a significant blow to their attacking ranks.

Macario’s experience as a European champion with Lyon was supposed to help Chelsea over the line to a maiden Champions League title. She has left without that happening.

Her Chelsea career has been hugely hindered by injury — she did not make her debut for the club until almost a year after signing, and has had fitness struggles this season too.

It also has significant implications for their summer plans: if Sam Kerr, 32, were also to leave when her contract expires this summer, the only central strikers in the squad would be Mayra Ramirez and Aggie Beever-Jones.

Ramirez has not yet featured for Chelsea this season after requiring hamstring surgery and then picking up further injuries in rehab, and Beever-Jones has also had intermittent injury struggles. Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal and Kerr’s age were already arguments for recruiting a striker this summer and Macario’s departure would only strengthen that.