As Dan Lauletta and Jenna Tonelli first reported, the NWSL all-time leading goal scorer Lynn Williams is expected to be heading to Seattle Reign via a trade with Gotham FC. According to Tonelli, Williams requested to end her career on the West Coast.
Per sources, Lynn Williams is the latest to be moving on from Gotham. 4x #NWSL champions appears heading to her home coast to join the Reign via trade
— (@thedanlauletta.bsky.social) 2024-12-18T23:17:20.183Z
Williams' current contract with Gotham runs through 2025, although the Reign could renegotiate that contract. Details of who the Reign are trading to Gotham in the deal have not been shared yet. While not confirmed, Ride of the Valkyries has heard that a midfielder could be on their way to Gotham. The club is certainly filling a big hole in exchange.
The Reign struggled to break opponents down with speed over the last several years – and were the least effective team in transition in 2024. Williams, who is 31 years old, brings significant speed to the attack.
Just a few examples of Williams' acceleration speed
She's also one of the best defensive pressing forwards in the game, something Reign head coach Laura Harvey prioritizes for her front line.
Williams also knows how to win and knows what to do in front of the net. She is a four-time NWSL champion and became the league's all-time leading scorer on May 19, 2024, heading in her 79th NWSL goal across all competitions, including the playoffs, regular season, and Challenge Cup. She wins 63% of her aerial duels, including winning the most aerial duels in 2023, and is a constant threat on crosses.
According to FBref, Williams has scored 68 regular season goals and 30 assists in 139 starts – averaging 0.72 goals + assists per 90 minutes. She led the league in goals in 2016 and in shots in 2016, 2019, and 2023.
She's also scored 21 goals and notched 13 assists in 75 caps with the U.S. Women's National Team – helping the U.S. earn a Bronze and Gold medal in the last two Olympic Games.
While she struggled in the 2024 season due to injuries, which limited her minutes and impact, Williams still scored 11 goals in 28 starts for Gotham over the last two years. That includes seven goals and two assists in 2023 en route to helping Gotham win the NWSL Championship.
Lynn Williams' goals for Gotham and the USWNT from 2023-2024
While she will be 32 years old next year, and her recent hamstring injuries could present a bit of a risk, Williams is one of the best goal-scorers that the NWSL has ever seen and showed no signs of losing her explosive speed when she returned from her injuries at the end of this season. She should also bring a lot of leadership to young players like Emeri Adames.
