Manchester City close to deal for Jamaica international striker Shaw

Manchester City are close to completing a deal to sign striker Khadija Shaw from Bordeaux, Goal can confirm.

The Jamaica international is the joint-top goal-scorer in France this season, alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Marie-Antoinette Katoto, with 20 goals in 17 Division 1 Feminine matches.

City are currently second in the Women's Super League table, fighting for the title with Chelsea, and won the Women's FA Cup in November, but they have lacked depth in the No 9 role throughout the campaign.

Who is Shaw?

The signing of Shaw, which is not yet finalised but is near, would bolster City with one of the most exciting strikers in the world right now.

Known as 'Bunny', Shaw made her debut for Jamaica as an 18-year-old  in 2015 and marked it with two goals in a 6-0 win over Dominican Republic.

She has since scored 42 times in just 30 games for her country, three of those coming in the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship where the Reggae Girlz finished third, qualifying for the Women's World Cup for the very first time.

Her scoring prowess was evident throughout her college career in the U.S., where her strength and silky footwork helped her to regularly find the net for both Eastern Florida State College and the University of Tennessee.

Shaw, now 24 years old, opted not to enter the NWSL Draft when she graduated in 2018 and instead looked at options overseas. After a brief spell with American semi-pro side Florida Krush, she joined Bordeaux on a two-year deal in the summer of 2019, scoring 10 goals in 15 appearances in her first season.

What would she bring to Manchester City?

Man City have one of the best squads in Europe, stacked with talented individuals who have won Champions League titles and World Cups. However, Ellen White, the England international who won the Bronze boot at the World Cup two years ago, is the team's only established No 9.

Georgia Stanway and Rose Lavelle, both more natural midfielders, have operated in the central role in the front three this season, while Jess Park, the teenage striker who has come to the fore this past year, has been deployed more often as a winger.

Shaw would bring added depth in this area, as a striker to share the goal-scoring burden with White but also a completely different option for head coach Gareth Taylor.

Further reading

• Women's Champions League exit only the beginning, for new-look Manchester City
• NXGN 2021: The 10 best wonderkids in women's football