Spirit acquire D Esme Morgan from Manchester City

The Washington Spirit agreed to terms with English defender Esme Morgan on a four-year deal through 2027, the NWSL team announced Thursday.

She arrives on a transfer from Manchester City and will be eligible to join the club on July 15. The amount of the transfer fee was not disclosed.

Morgan, 23, made her debut with Manchester City at age 16 in 2017. Including a loan to Everton in 2019-20, she has appeared in 64 matches across seven seasons in the English Women's Super League.

"I wanted to join the Spirit because they have the ambition and tools to be the best team in the NWSL, and trying to achieve that will be a great but enjoyable challenge," Morgan said. "On an individual level too, the opportunity to work under Jonatan (Giraldez), one of the world's best coaches, is really exciting and I look forward to learning from him and pushing myself to become the best player I can be, hopefully helping the team to success."

Morgan earned her first cap with the national team in 2022 and helped England to a runner-up finish at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

"Esme is an exceptional talent and we're thrilled to add her to this talented Spirit roster," general manager Mark Krikorian said. "We expect the success she's had at the highest level in England to translate well as she joins the most competitive league in women's soccer."

--Field Level Media