Gotham FC president of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West described her plan to recruit world-class striker Sam Kerr back to the club as a “crazy vision.”
Ultimately, it was a vision that paid off as Averbuch West’s persistent efforts convinced the 32-year-old Kerr to join the Bats on a multiyear contract through 2030.
“In the winter, when we knew Sam was going to be out of contract within six months, I had the crazy vision that I wanted to bring her back to Gotham,” Averbuch West said during Kerr’s introductory press conference on Thursday.
Inside the Months-Long Recruitment of Kerr
The 39-year-old Gotham executive remained resolute in her belief that the deal would eventually get done despite early signals that Kerr wasn’t open to making a move across the pond to leave eight-time Women’s Super League champions Chelsea FC.
“In speaking with her agent, I said I’m going to find a way to do this,” Averbuch West recalled. “My understanding is that at first she wasn’t really considering it. There were a lot of reasons why this move made sense, and ultimately, going through those with Sam over time, I’m really glad she came to the same conclusion.”
Kerr admitted that it took some deep pondering over whether a move away from London to the defending NWSL champions was the best fit for her career and personal life. In late May, she made her decision to rejoin Gotham.
“I really, really had to think hard about if I wanted to leave Chelsea,” Kerr said. “I mean, my agent will tell you that it took a lot of talking off a ledge. But I literally was. Yeah, I took it down to the wire. I think I only made my decision in the end of early May.”
Kristie Mewis Played Key Role in Kerr’s Gotham Return
Averbuch West had an ace up her sleeve. She knew that Kerr’s wife, former United States women’s national soccer team midfielder Kristie Mewis, would relay a very positive experience of her two seasons at Gotham.
Mewis previously played under current Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós during the 2023 season that ended with NWSL championship glory.
“Kristie played here and knows us and had a really good experience,” Averbuch West explained. “It is important that she’s familiar with the area, and she was at the club before.”
Kerr recently said on Mewis Squared of The Men in Blazers Media Network that Kristie “has been dying to be back on the East Coast.”
Now that Kerr is signed, sealed and delivered, Gotham fans will likely get a first look at the star striker in her first game action for the club since 2017 when Gotham faces the Washington Spirit in the July 15 Queens Classic at Citi Field.
“I feel really lucky that that’s going to be my first game coming back at Citi Field with a full stadium, back at a club where I had so many great memories,” Kerr said. “Hopefully, it sets me up for a nice future back at the club again.”
NWSL rules prevent Kerr from playing for Gotham until after the NWSL transfer window opens on July 14, making The Queens Classic one of the hottest tickets during the “Summer of Soccer.”
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