Sam Kerr spoke with the media following the announcement of her signing with Gotham FC in the NWSL until 2030, returning to play in America after six years in England with Chelsea.
The striker last played in the NWSL back in 2019 with the Chicago Red Stars, and picked the golden boot in three consecutive seasons in 2017, 2018 and in her final season, 2019.
"I always had a desire to come back to the NWSL. I loved my time here. I had so much fun here and played some good football here, so I always wanted to come back," she said.
"With all the change at Chelsea and me wanting something new, it was really the only league that I saw myself in. I had a lot of ties to the league. Obviously, Kristie [Mewis] is from America, and I just really enjoyed my time here, so I wanted to come back, hopefully win some championships and be part of that again."
Despite leaving the league 6 years ago, Kerr is still the all-time leading goalscorer in the NWSL with 77 goals, as the striker will look to increase her lead at the top of the standings.
"I don’t really look at my records, but every once in a while, someone tags me on Instagram, and I’m reminded that I still hold the regular-season scoring record. It’s not something I think about, but I’m happy to extend that record every time I score."
"One of the main reasons I joined Gotham was that I felt like it was the closest environment to Chelsea. It’s a club that is always aspiring to win something – win games, win trophies, win whatever they can."
"I haven’t lost my competitive edge yet. I wanted to win things, I wanted to be part of a winning culture, and I wanted to be coached by someone who loves to win and does everything to win."
"The number one thing was that I heard really good things about Juan [Carlos Amorós]. When I spoke to him, he impressed me tactically. When you play on a team that creates a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, as a No. 9, that’s exactly what you want. Their stats over the last few years – the number of crosses into the box and the amount of chances they create – really stood out to me. I’m only as good as the people around me, and they have some amazing players on this team."
Gotham's team has firepower all over the pitch, and experienced internationals making up the team, with Kerr linking up with former Chelsea teammates in Norway's Guro Reiten, England's Jess Carter and Germany's Ann-Katrin Berger.
Reigning FIFA Women's World Cup winner, Esther González, is part of Gotham's lethal forward line, as well as the USA's Jaedyn Shaw, who can play as a No. 9.
"It feels like a full-circle moment for me. The last time I left Gotham – Sky Blue at the time – we were playing in front of a couple thousand people, and this is the type of thing we were fighting for: sold-out stadiums, the best facilities, the best players and the wages we deserved."
"I feel really lucky that my first game back is going to be at Citi Field with a full stadium, back at a club where I have so many great memories. Hopefully, it sets me up for a nice future back at the club again."
Kerr is slated to make her debut at The Queens Classic when Gotham FC hosts the Washington Spirit at Citi Field on Thursday, 16th July at 10am AEST. You can catch select games of the NWSL on Stan Sport.