Zambia ace Racheal Kundanaji becomes most expensive transfer in women’s football following her £685,000 Bay FC move

RACHEAL KUNDANANJI has set a new record by becoming women’s football’s most expensive player with her Bay FC transfer.

The Zambia forward, 23, made history yesterday sealing a four-year switch to the US side from Spanish club Madrid CFF for a fee of £685,000.

Reuters

Racheal Kundananji has set a new women’s football transfer record with her Bay FC switch[/caption]

Reuters

The Zambia forward’s move sees her become the NWSL side’s newest signing following their moves for Jen Beattie and Asisat Oshoala[/caption]

And the move for Kundananji has seen her become the first African footballer, male or female, to a world transfer record with a club move.

The deal for the player, who has scored 33 goals in 43 games in Spain’s top tier, includes an option for Bay FC to extend her stay for an extra year.

The move comes seven months after the forward netted in her side’s surprise friendly 3-2 defeat of Germany ahead of last summer’s Women’s World Cup.

And the player, who began her senior club career in 2018 at Zambian side Ideni Roses, finished last term as second-highest scorer in Spain’s La Liga Feminina.

The fee to acquire Kundananji exceeded the £384,000 Chelsea paid Levante to sign Colombia striker Mayra Ramirez with add-ons increasing this to £426,600.

Of her Bay FC transfer, the forward told US sports outlets The Equalizer: “Every place that I’ve been to, I always take something from there; I learn something from there.

“Good or bad, to me it’s a good experience because you have to experience something to know something.

I’m looking [forward] to having a great time in the U.S., have a great time with the team. Now, Bay FC is my new family.”

BBC Sport reports Kundananji’s new club, based in San Francisco, California, will pay an initial amount of £625,144 (US$ 785,000) plus a further £59,720 (US$75,000) in add-ons.

Her transfer comes seven months on for her featuring for Zambia in last year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

AP

Bay FC sealed a move for Arsenal heroine Jen Beattie[/caption]

AP

Nigeria star Asisat Oshoala joined the San Francisco-based club from Barcelona this month[/caption]

The forward netted her team’s third goal in a 3-1 group stage defeat of Costa Rica in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Kundananji is one of three experienced aces from the top tiers of the women’s game in England and Spain to have sealed transfers to Bay FC.

Former Arsenal ace Jen Beattie has joined the side along with ex-Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala with both signed this month.