Gotham FC trade USWNT attacker and rising star Yazmeen Ryan to Houston Dash

The Bats honored Ryan's request to be traded, with the 25-year-old on the move to Houston

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. women's national team midfielder and two-time NWSL champion Yazmeen Ryan has been traded from Gotham FC to the Houston Dash for a reported $400,000 fee - a historic number for an intra-league transfer.

  The Bats confirmed the transfer Thursday afternoon, revealing to The Athletic that the 25-year-old had requested a transfer away from the club, and that as a result, they "worked tirelessly to honor her request."

  Ryan arrived in NY/NJ in 2023, and helped the club to their first NWSL Championship later that year. Internationally, she debuted under Emma Hayes in 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ryan's departure is the third offseason move for the Bats this season. The club already dealt U.S. international Lynn Williams and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to the Seattle Reign for midfielder Jaelin Howell, $70,000 in allocation money and a 2025 international roster spot.

  In addition, Gotham added Ghanaian midfielder Stella Nyamekye after losing Delanie Sheehan to free agency earlier this month.

  In 2024, Ryan tallied five goals and five assists, playing a key role as the Bats returned to the NWSL semifinals for the second-straight season.

  “It was such a pleasure watching Yazmeen thrive at Gotham FC, capped off by her USWNT debut this season,” Averbuch West said in a statement to The Athletic. “As a player-first organization, our front office worked tirelessly to honor her request for a move. This is a historic deal for Gotham FC and the NWSL, which speaks to the quality of Yazmeen’s play and character.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Dash finished bottom of the NWSL table in 2024 with a 5-5-16 record. Actively undergoing a rebuild, the club recently hired former Angel City general manager Angela Hucles Mangano, and are in the process of naming a new coach heading into 2025 after the dismissal of Fran Alonso in October.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RYAN?

  The NWSL is in offseason mode. Internationally, Ryan could work her way into Hayes' USWNT this February for the next edition of the SheBelieves Cup.