The San Diego Wave’s reported split with Jaedyn Shaw is official.

The club announced Tuesday that it has dealt its star midfielder to the North Carolina Courage for $450,000 in allocation money and intra-league transfer funds as well as international roster slots for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The Union-Tribune reported on Saturday that Shaw, who had requested a trade, was being dealt.

The price for Shaw is nearly identical to what the Wave paid in April to land striker María Sánchez from the Houston Dash. The club sent $500,000 allocation money and intra-league transfer funds to Houston in addition to international roster slots for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Shaw, 20, had been a part of the Wave’s roster since midway through the 2022 season. Still a teenager, she started at midfield in both of the Wave’s playoff games during their inaugural season.

A year later, she signed a contract extension through the 2026 season. Shaw started 18 matches in 2023, scoring five goals and logging three assists as the Wave posted the best regular-season record in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Behind the scenes, however, Shaw was looking to move on from San Diego. She requested a trade at the start of the 2024 season. Her stance didn’t change, even as the Wave’s owner, president, general manager and coach changed and their roster churned. Star striker Alex Morgan retired late last summer after announcing she was pregnant with her second child, and the Wave traded veterans Abby Dahlkemper, Taylor Flint and Christen Westphal and released veterans Emily van Egmond and Sofia Jakobsson.

The 2024 club went 6-13-7, finishing in 10th place in the 14-team league.

“Jaedyn’s impact on and off the field has been a significant part of our club’s growth,“ Wave Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton said.

“Early last season, Jaedyn expressed her desire to take on a new challenge and explore other options outside the Wave. While it’s always hard to see a player of her talent move on, we respect and understand her decision to seek a new chapter in her career and we’re happy we were able to help facilitate the move she wanted. We wish her nothing but success in the future.”

The money received from North Carolina — $300,000 in allocation money and $150,000 in intra-league transfer funds — is significant. The 2025 NWSL salary cap is set at $3.3 million per team. Top players make between $200,000 and $500,000 per year; Sánchez is due to make $500,000 this season, making her the highest-paid player on the club.

Shaw, in a news release, thanked the Wave organization and fans for “the incredible love and support you have shown me.”

“It’s been an absolute honor to start my professional career in this city and represent this club,” she said. “The opportunity to pursue a new chapter is bittersweet, but I am excited about what lies ahead. I’m deeply grateful to the Levine Leichtman family and Camille for making this move possible and to my teammates, coaches, staff, and of course, the Sirens, for making San Diego feel like home for me and my family over the last three years.”

Originally Published: January 14, 2025 at 9:58 AM PST