Angel City FC have signed English midfielder and former Manchester United captain Katie Zelem until 2026 on a free transfer.
“I am thrilled to sign with Angel City and embrace this exciting new challenge,” Zelem said in a statement. “The opportunity to compete in the NWSL, one of the most competitive leagues in the world, is a huge step in my career. I look forward to testing myself in a new league, against the best players, and at the same time contributing to the success of this ambitious club.”
Zelem scored 32 goals and provided 46 assists in 161 appearances for Manchester United. He made two appearances for England during the team's runners-up finish at the 2023 World Cup.
Zelem joins Angel City as the team's first signing of the summer window, which opened on August 1 for the National Women's Soccer League.
Angel City sits 11th in the 14-team league at the Olympic break with just 15 points from 16 games and a goal difference of minus-10.
The Los Angeles-based team reached the semifinals of the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup, losing to NJ/NY Gotham FC in last week's semifinal.
“Katie Zelem is a wonderful addition to our team at the perfect time,” Angel City FC general manager Angela Hucles Mangano said in a statement.
“She has honed her leadership skills to a high level as captain of Manchester United, is a skilled midfielder with elite football vision and her desire to bring championships to Los Angeles was palpable from the first communication. We are excited to welcome her.”
Zelem, 28, was born in Manchester and recently told reporters he is “a homebody,” making the decision to move to Angel City a difficult one.
She added that she is ready for a new challenge, including the tough weekly NWSL competition.
In Angel City, Zelem will be reunited with U.S. international and two-time World Cup winner Christen Press. The pair played together at Manchester United during the 2020-21 season.
Press just returned to the field after more than two years of recovering from a torn ACL in June 2022.
Welcome to Los Angeles, Katie!
📝 #CiudadAngelFC announces that England Women's midfielder Katie Zelem has signed with the club until 2026 as a free agent. Zelem, a former Manchester United team captain, joins the club as the first signing of the August transfer window. image.twitter.com/KU2QpNTRA9— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) August 12, 2024
Zelem is also close friends with Angel City winger Claire Emslie.
Zelem previously announced in June that he would be leaving Manchester United after joining the club in 2018.
She helped Manchester United achieve promotion to the Women's Super League, England's top division, in the 2018-19 season.
Zelem was named the club's player of the season in her first year there.
United immediately challenged for a Champions League place after promotion, finishing fourth for three consecutive seasons before finishing second in 2022-23.
Last season, United dropped to fifth in the league but won the FA Cup for the first time. However, during this success there has been significant player turnover.
Casey Stoney, the manager who led Manchester United to promotion, left the club in 2021 amid growing tension over a lack of resources such as adequate training facilities.
Three years on, the issue is still in the news. Manchester United's men's team recently took over the women's team's training complex while the men's team's facilities are being renovated.
The women's team is now using portable buildings, a move that disappointed the players, as ESPN previously reported.
This summer is the second in a row that has seen high-profile player departures from Manchester United.
This summer, England international goalkeeper Mary Earps left for Paris Saint-Germain, and Spanish defender Lucía García left for Liga MX side Monterrey.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of Manchester United, and his leadership team at INEOS have insisted that the women's team is a priority.
This week, in an interview with The Times, Ratcliffe was more direct about Manchester United's finances.
“The men's team earns 800 million pounds” [$1bn]The women's team cost 10 million pounds. [$12.7m]”, said.
An INEOS spokesman told The Times that the club had invested £10m in the women's facility.
The NWSL resumes its regular season later this month.
Angel City returns to the field with a crucial road match against Southern California rival San Diego Wave FC on August 24.
