North Carolina Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo is set to leave the team via transfer to Chelsea. She has signed a new five-year deal with the English club.

What happened?

Manaka Matsukubo, the 2025 NWSL Midfielder of the Year, will join Chelsea for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Why it matters for North Carolina Courage

This move comes after a historic season with North Carolina Courage, where Matsukubo contributed 15 goals and assists, and was nominated for Most Valuable Player. The team currently stands 9th in NWSL Women with 35 points, 9W-8D-9L from 26 games, and a recent form of WWDLL.

What comes next?

Matsukubo expressed her excitement to join Chelsea, a club with a strong history of winning trophies, and her gratitude to North Carolina Courage for the last three years. As North Carolina Courage looks to the future, they are 30 points behind leaders Kansas City W, and will need to regroup after losing a key player like Matsukubo, who scored 11 goals and had four assists in 2025. With 37 goals scored and 39 conceded, the team has a -2 goal difference, and will need to work on their defense to move up the league standings.