Gotham FC has acquired 20-year-old midfielder Jaedyn Shaw from the North Carolina Courage for a record-breaking $1.25 million. The deal, announced Thursday in partnership with Dove, marks the largest intra-league transfer fee in NWSL history, surpassing the previous record of $600,000 paid by Kansas City Current for Ally Sentnor. The transfer fee will be paid in installments using intra-league transfer funds.

Shaw is anticipated to sign an updated and extended contract with Gotham FC. She will wear the No. 2 jersey. The acquisition gives Gotham FC four players who won Olympic gold medals with the U.S. Women's National Team at the Paris Olympics last summer.

Shaw expressed her excitement about joining Gotham FC, stating, "I'm so excited to be a part of this incredible club and community. I'm looking forward to playing alongside world-class players and giving my all to help the team win another championship".

Yael Averbuch West, the general manager and head of soccer operations for Gotham FC, lauded Shaw as "one of the world's top talents" with significant NWSL and international experience. She added, "We look forward to having her in our team environment and can't wait to see her impact on our club both now and into the future".

Prior to joining Gotham FC, Shaw played for the North Carolina Courage, where she appeared in 19 matches, including 10 starts, and recorded three goals and one assist. Before that, she was with the San Diego Wave, where she won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Challenge Cup in 2023. She made her professional debut for San Diego on July 30, 2022, at the age of 17 and scored the game's only goal in a 1-0 victory over Chicago.

Shaw has also achieved success on the international stage. She won the Golden Ball at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and was named to the U.S. roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics. She earned her first senior national team call-up in September 2023 and made her debut on October 26 in a friendly against Colombia. In 2022, she was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

This transfer is the second major move for Shaw this year, after she requested a trade from San Diego to the Courage in January. During her time in San Diego, Shaw broke the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager.

The acquisition of Shaw signals Gotham FC's intent to compete for this year's NWSL title and build a squad for future seasons. Gotham FC is currently in 6th place in the NWSL table with 27 points after 19 games. Shaw will join other talented players, including veteran striker Esther González and forward Geyse.

While Shaw's $1.25 million transfer fee sets a new NWSL record, it is the fifth-highest transfer fee in the history of women's soccer. The highest transfer fee was Grace Geyoro's move from Paris Saint-Germain to the London City Lionesses for €1.65m (£1.43m/$1.93m).