Bay FC Lands USWNT Midfielder Claire Hutton in Historic $1.1M Intra-League Transfer

Feb 11, 2026 36 Views NWSL

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2026) – Bay FC has acquired midfielder Claire Hutton from the Kansas City Current in exchange for $1.1 million in intra-league transfer funds, the club announced Wednesday.

The deal marks one of the highest transfer fees ever exchanged between two NWSL clubs and ranks among the largest fees paid for a women’s player worldwide.

Hutton, a 2025 NWSL Best XI First Team selection, joins Bay FC following a breakout campaign in which she helped Kansas City capture the NWSL Shield.

“Claire is an important signing for us,” said Bay FC Head Coach Emma Coates. “She’s a top-quality player who is tight on the ball, and she has the mobility and physical presence to break up play. Despite her age, she brings experience and a strong mentality. We believe she has the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the world. The most exciting part for us is her desire to keep getting better, and we’re excited to support her through the next stages of her career and to see the impact she will have at Bay FC.”

Hutton, 20, appeared in 25 regular-season matches (22 starts) in 2025, recording two assists while emerging as one of the league’s top defensive midfielders. She finished Top 10 league-wide in duels won (153) and successful tackles (49) and regained possession 170 times. Her defensive presence was instrumental in Kansas City setting a league-record 16 clean sheets.

Her standout season earned her a nomination for 2025 NWSL Midfielder of the Year and her first career selection to the NWSL Best XI First Team.

“Bay FC is a club with real ambition, and that is a big part of why this move feels right for me,” Hutton said. “It’s clear from Coach Coates how detailed her vision is and how much she values challenging players to keep improving. The standards she wants to set and the environment the club is building really resonated with me. I’m excited to join a group that pushes each other every day as we compete at the highest level and pursue championships.”

Hutton originally signed her first professional contract with Kansas City ahead of the 2024 NWSL season at just 17 years old, becoming the sixth player signed under the league’s Under-18 Entry Mechanism. She made her professional debut on March 18, 2024, against Portland Thorns FC and logged more than 1,400 minutes during her rookie season, adding one assist while helping the Current finish fourth in the regular-season standings.

She scored her first professional goal on Aug. 1, 2024, against Tigres in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup, helping Kansas City lift the title. Following the season, she was named a finalist for 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year.

On the international stage, Hutton has rapidly climbed the U.S. Women’s National Team ranks, representing the U-17, U-19 and U-20 squads. She won the 2022 Concacaf U-17 Championship and earned bronze medals at the 2023 Pan American Games and the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Hutton made her senior USWNT debut in 2025, earning her first cap on Feb. 23 against Australia during the SheBelieves Cup. She has since made 13 appearances for head coach Emma Hayes, scoring her first international goal on July 2 against Canada. In January, she captained the U.S. for the first time in a victory over Paraguay, becoming the youngest player to wear the armband for the USWNT in the modern era.

Hutton joins Bay FC immediately as the club continues preparations for the 2026 NWSL season.