Angel City Football Club\u2019s week of additions ended Friday with the acquisition of defender Emily Sams in a trade with the Orlando Pride.<\/p>\n
Sams, 26, was the NWSL\u2019s 2024 Defender of the Year.<\/p>\n
Angel City, not one to shy away from a hefty transfer fee, send the Pride $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds. The Pride had extended Sams\u2019 contract through 2027. With the move comes a new contract with Angel City, through 2028, the club confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmily is a true professional with high standards, and she will add to our team first culture while raising the standard of those around her,\u201d Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons said in a statement. \u201cWe believe our technical staff will be able to push Emily to another level and I am excited to see her impact on and off the field while competing for trophies in the coming years with Angel City.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sams was drafted third overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft by the Pride out of Florida State. She has made 86 appearances for Orlando.<\/p>\n
Sams was recently called into the USWNT\u2019s national team. She has made seven national team appearances.<\/p>\n
In an Instagram post, Sams said her \u201ctime in Orlando played an important role in my growth and I\u2019ll always be thankful for the opportunity to wear the badge. My teammates shaped me, this club challenged me and together we worked to provide a product that the city of Orlando could take Pride in.\u201d<\/p>\n