Chelsea forward Catarina Macario has attracted interest from several NWSL clubs, according to [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/47389300/uswnt-chelsea-forward-catarina-macario-draws-nwsl-interest-sources). The forward is currently under contract with Chelsea until the summer of 2026. However, from January 1, Macario is free to speak with other clubs under current regulations.
Interest is not limited to the NWSL, as the U.S. international is also high on the list of several European clubs. Initially, there were question marks surrounding a potential move to the NWSL due to the league’s salary cap, which would have made a signing difficult. However, the league announced today the introduction of the High Impact Player Rule, allowing clubs to exceed the established salary cap by up to $1 million.
Macario signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2023 after playing for OL Lyonnes. During her time in France, she received significant attention after scoring in the [Women’s Champions League](https://womenfootball.blog/womens-champions-league/) final, becoming the first American to do so. In the same season, she helped Lyon win the league title, scoring 23 goals in 33 appearances.
Unfortunately, she suffered an ACL injury in the UWCL final, which kept her sidelined for much of the 2022/23 season.
The forward was born in Brazil and moved to the United States at the age of 12. She later played college soccer at Stanford University, where she won two NCAA Championships and received the MAC Hermann Trophy on two occasions. Macario prefers to play as a false nine but has also said, “I can play either as a No. 10 or a more traditional No. 9.”
“Ensuring our teams can compete for the best players in the world is critical to the continued growth of our league,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a news release. “The High Impact Player Rule allows teams to invest strategically in top talent, strengthens our ability to retain star players, and demonstrates our commitment to building world-class rosters for fans across the league.”
The clubs can sign players under the rule “immediately, provided the contract terms do not require the team to utilize the rule until the effective date.”