Sources: Chelsea’s Macario closing on San Diego Wave move

San Diego Wave FC are the current front-runners to sign Chelsea forward Catarina Macario, multiple sources have told ESPN.

A deal is not yet signed, sources emphasized, but San Diego is in advanced negotiations to acquire the U.S. international, who will soon be out of contract with Chelsea.

Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN that Macario received several offers from European clubs, including from Barcelona; however, her preference is to return to the United States to be closer to home.

Macario is believed to be excited about the opportunity to experience playing in the NWSL for the first time, with personal considerations also playing a significant role in her decision-making process.

ESPN previously reported that several NWSL clubs have expressed interest in Macario.

A move to NWSL side San Diego Wave would see the 26-year-old return to Southern California, where she grew up after leaving Brazil as a 12-year-old in 2011.

The Wave currently train adjacent to the fields that Macario’s youth club, the San Diego Surf, still uses. Macario played college soccer in California at Stanford, close to where NWSL side Bay FC plays.

Macario’s contract with Chelsea ends this summer, which is when she is likely to change clubs. Per FIFA regulations, she is free to sign a pre-contract within six months of her current deal expiring.

Macario has scored 16 goals in 29 appearances for the USWNT, with eight of those coming in 10 games last year.

She became a U.S. citizen in late 2020 and became eligible for the USWNT shortly thereafter. She said at the time that it was a “dream come true” to have the opportunity to represent the United States.

She is expected to be an integral part of the USWNT squad vying for a fifth World Cup title in Brazil next year.

Macario turned professional with now eight-time European champions OL Lyonnes after a college career at Stanford that included two national titles and two MAC Hermann Trophies, given to college soccer’s top player.

She won the 2020-21 Champions League with Lyonnes.

Macario joined Chelsea in 2023. She spent many of her early months in London still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which sidelined her for 20 months in total.

Macario battled recurring injuries during her time at Chelsea, although she was more consistently healthy and available for club and country in 2025. She has won a pair of WSL titles with Chelsea.

Sources told ESPN that Macario rejected a contract offer from Chelsea to extend her stay, as The Guardian reported earlier this week.

Macario was surprisingly left out of The Blues’ Champions League squad in January due to what Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor cited as injury issues.

“Cat is not available right now due to injury” Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said during a press conference on Thursday. “As you could see, she is not in the Champions League squad. We are assessing her every week, making sure she will be able to play for us before the end of the season. Hopefully that will be the case. But today, I don’t have the answer to that question.”

Bompastor said that Macario was suffering from a problem with her heel in January. Macario has played nine WSL matches and three Champions League games this season, but has been absent since early December.

Macario has scored 15 goals in 59 appearances for the Blues since her arrival.

The WSL transfer window closed on Feb. 3, however, the NWSL window is still open for incoming arrivals until March 16.

ESPN writer Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.