Transfers: Estelle Johnson Leaves Gotham For North Carolina Courage

After three seasons with former Sky Blue now named Gotham FC, Estelle Laura Johnson (34) has left the club.

The Cameroonian defender has taken a new challenge in the National Women’s Soccer League, the first-tier of women’s football.

She has signed up for two seasons with North Carolina Courage. Johnson is therefore tied to the club until June 2024.

Estelle Johnson is coming off a full season with Gotham FC. She played 15 games in 2022 with the club but failed to succeed in qualifiers for the playoffs. The Cameroonian player is a great recruit for the East Coast club: “It’s great to be able to recruit Estelle free. Her career has been impressive so far. She is an important addition to our talented line-up of defenders and will bring valuable NWSL and international experience, both on the pitch and in the locker room,” said Curt Johnson, the club’s Chief Soccer Officer.

34-year-old Estelle Johnson has had a long club career in the United States starting with Philadelphia Independence of the WPS in 2011. Johnson was then selected in the first round, seventh overall, of the NWSL Supplemental Draft in 2013 by the Western New York Flash, later changed to Courage Ladies in 2017. She spent two seasons with the Flash before a trade with the Washington Spirit during the 2015 season. She played for the Spirit until 2018 before being transferred to Sky Blue FC.

Estelle and the indomitable Lionesses will play the World Cup playoffs against Chile next year and she needs to be active.