Racing Louisville select Caitlin Foord’s NWSL playing rights

Earlier tonight, NWSL held an expansion draft for its 2021 entry franchise, Racing Louisville. The draft gave Louisville the potential to select 16 players whose rights were left unprotected by their NWSL club, with Chicago having made a trade to get full roster protection. With their ninth pick, Racing Louisville selected the NWSL playing rights to Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord, from Orlando Pride

Foord had been traded from the Portland Thorns to Orlando in January, when the Thorns traded for the #1 draft pick. It was then that Foord joined Arsenal, but the framework of the NWSL means that if she were to return to the league, she would have to go to the team that holds her rights. That team is now Racing Louisville.

Racing Louisville’s manager, Christy Holly, overlapped with Foord at Sky Blue, where Holly was an assistant coach during Foord’s time in New Jersey. Yet despite that connection, it seems unlikely Foord will leave Arsenal any time soon. Having joined in January, she signed a two and a half-year deal with Arsenal. Furthermore, Foord is not only playing regularly for the club, but playing well, with four goals and five assists in six league games. Speaking recently to Matildas.com.au, Foord said, “I’m just enjoying myself, taking every opportunity to play for a club like this and play with the players I’m surrounded by.”

“I love the way we play at Arsenal and I love who I’m playing with. I put it down to just enjoyment.”