USA international Catarina Macario signs with Chelsea

LONDON (AP) American striker Catarina Macario signed a three-year contract with Chelsea on Friday from Lyon.

Macario, 23, missed last season to recover from a torn ACL which will also rule him out of the World Cup this summer.

Born in Brazil, Macario and her family moved to the United States when she was 12 years old. She became an American citizen in 2020.

The versatile Macario can play as a striker or an attacking midfielder. She joined Lyon in January 2021 and helped the French club win the Champions League title a year later, scoring a goal in the 3-1 win over Barcelona in the final.

I have already had the chance to have great experiences in Europe with Lyon, playing with many top players and of course also winning the Champions League, Macario said in Chelsea’s announcement. I hope to continue those experiences here and bring the trophy back to Chelsea as well.

Chelsea lost the only Champions League final they reached 4-0 to Barcelona in 2021.

Cat is one of the smartest and most creative attacking players in the world who I think will thrive in this Chelsea team, manager Emma Hayes said. She brings a lot of flair, European experience and an incredible winning mentality.

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