Chelsea Women have completed the signing of Japan international forward Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage on a five-year contract, the club announced on July 3, 2026.
The 21-year-old attacker moves to London after a standout season in the National Women's Soccer League, where she secured the NWSL Midfielder of the Year accolade.
Matsukubo had entered the final six months of her contract in America, which would have allowed her to leave as a free agent at the start of 2027.
The versatile attacker registered 11 goals last season and has scored five times in nine appearances during the current campaign before finalizing her move to the Women's Super League.
Ambition and Gratitude
“I’m so excited to be joining Chelsea, a club with a lot of history,” said Matsukubo.
The forward noted her childhood connection to the English club and expressed her desire to help sustain the team's long-standing competitive success.
“The club has a strong history of winning trophies and has done so well at the top of the game, so I couldn’t pass up this opportunity, and I want to help continue this club’s tradition of winning trophies for years to come,” said Matsukubo.
Prior to her departure, the Japanese international expressed gratitude to the North Carolina squad, coaching staff, and fanbase for her experiences over the past three seasons.
“Thank you so much for the last three years. I had so many great experiences with this club, and I will never forget them.
Thank you to my teammates, coaches, staff, and all the fans for always supporting me. I really appreciate everything you did for me.
I’m excited for my next challenge, but this club will always be special to me. Thank you again, and I wish everyone all the best,” said Matsukubo.
Chelsea confirmed that Matsukubo will wear the number 29 shirt for the upcoming campaign under manager Sonia Bompastor.
The recruitment follows the arrival of defender Katie McCabe from Arsenal, alongside a one-year contract extension for England defender Lucy Bronze.
Matsukubo will join pre-season training before Chelsea travels to New Zealand and Australia for fixtures against Auckland FC on August 8 and an Australian A-League all-stars side on August 12.
