Kansas City Current trade starter Kate Del Fava, first-round pick
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Current are making more offseason roster moves, this time trading one of their starters back to her original team.
On Tuesday, the Current announced they have traded defender Kate Del Fava and a first-round 2024 NWSL Draft pick — the no. 4 overall selection — to the Utah Royals FC.
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In exchange, the Current will receive $75,000 in allocation funds and complete expansion draft protection, which means Utah can’t select any Kansas City players in the draft.
It’s similar to a move the Current made last month when the team traded defender Alex Loera to Bay FC, another NWSL expansion team.
In total for both trades, the Current will receive $250,000 in allocation funds and full protection from both teams in the NWSL Expansion Draft, which is scheduled for this Friday.
Had they not made the trades, the Current likely would have lost players regardless for no compensation.
The Current just signed Del Fava to a new contract last December, which would have kept her with the club through the 2024 season.
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The Royals originally selected Del Fava in the second round of the 2020 NWSL Draft (12th overall), and she was one of several players assigned to Kansas City’s roster in 2021.
She had a standout season in 2022 as one of only two players to play in every match, regular and postseason, for the Current. She appeared in every game again in 2023.
During the Current’s 2022 run to the NWSL Championship Game, she scored the dramatic game-winning goal against the Houston Dash in the NWSL Quarterfinal.
Last month, the Current also signed new three-year deals with forward Alex Pfeiffer and defender Gabrielle Robinson. The team also exercised the 2024 option for midfielder Claire Lavogez.
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The team said in November that defender Izzy Rodriguez is out of contract but has received a new offer from the Current. Under the latest NWSL/NWSLPA agreement, she does not qualify for free agency since she has only two years of experience.
Midfielders Chardonnay Curran and Rylan Childers, along with defenders Jenna Winebrenner and Croix Soto, are out of contract and the club waived its rights to the players.
Meanwhile, defender Mallory Weber and midfielders Sam Mewis and Desiree Scott are free agents.
Defender Addisyn Merrick and goalkeeper Cassie Miller are restricted free agents. They’re free to negotiate with any NWSL team, but the Current have the right to match any offer.
