Who is Racheal Kundananji, the Zambian who Bay FC have bought for a world record transfer fee from Madrid CFF?

Racheal Kundananji (Zambia, 2000) is a new Bay FC player after the new U.S. franchise paid the player’s release clause of more than €700,000 ($750,000) to Madrid CFF.

The Zambian striker will begin a new stage in what has historically been considered the best women’s soccer competition in the world. In total, the money paid by the Californian team will exceed the aforementioned figure as there are various other additional fees. Kundananji joins a squad that also includes Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona) and Deyna Castellanos (Manchester City). She has signed until 2027, with an option for another year, and will become one of the best paid players in the world.

What was Kundananji’s record at Madrid CFF?

Madrid CFF had protected the international striker last May by extending her contract until 2025 and putting a sky-high yet ultimately accessible price on her, well in the knowledge that the striker would be participating with her national team that summer in the World Cup, the perfect place for an audition.

A part of the club since the summer of 2022 when she left relegated Eibar, Kundananji became one of the stars of La Liga F last season, scoring 25 goals in 29 games played, as well as contributing 3 assists.

In the current campaign, the Bay FC player had registered 8 goals and 3 assists in 15 matches. Her last appearance in the white shirt of Madrid CFF was on January 20 against Betis; she was left on the bench in the following two matches (against Real Sociedad and Sevilla) and left out of the squad list list against Atlético.

How much did Bay FC pay for Racheal Kundananji?

Standing at 1.70 metres and with a top speed within reach of very few defenders, the Zambian has made a huge step forward in her sporting career and leaves her name written in history by becoming the most expensive transfer in women’s soccer with a figure of €735,000 ($787,000), which can be increased to €800,000 ($857,000) with variables, thus surpassing the price of the signing of Mayra Ramirez by Chelsea (€450,000) from Levante. Her salary will be $2.5 million dollars for four seasons, with the option of an additional campaign.

“We are delighted to add Racheal to our group,” said Lucy Rushton, Bay FC’s General Manager. “She is a tremendous talent with dynamic attacking qualities and an incredible physical profile who has produced for both club and country. Racheal has a composure in-front of goal and a natural ability to score with different types of finishes and from various locations. We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.”

Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is an American women’s professional soccer team based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, which will compete in the NWSL as an expansion franchise of the competition for the 2024 season. The ownership group is led by Sixth Street Partners as well as four former U.S. national team players. The team will play in San Jose’s PayPal Park, an 18,000-seat stadium.

Albertin Montoya heads the coaching staff of a team that has already shown its hand in terms of financial weight in moves such as the incorporation of Scarlett Camberos, Asisat Oshoala and Deyna Castellanos, but with the signing of Kundananji has definitely broken the market. Meanwhile, in France, reports have been swirling that the next player on the list is that of Lieke Martens.