The Athletic reported in January that Macario was considering her options with her Chelsea contract expiring in the summer, and had been the subject of interest from NWSL sides.
Sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated the Wave are expected to secure her signature before the NWSL transfer deadline on Monday.
The move would see Macario, 26, play in the NWSL for the first time, having begun her professional career at Lyon after representing Stanford Cardinal at collegiate level.
The U.S. international joined Chelsea from Lyon in 2023 and has made 49 appearances for the London club, scoring 12 goals.
Macario had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in 2022 and did not appear for Chelsea until March 2024, when she scored on her debut against Leicester.
This season Macario has made 12 appearances across all competitions, eight of which have been as a substitute, and scored two goals — both of which were in Chelsea’s 6-0 win over St Polten in the Champions League. She has not appeared for Chelsea since December 14 and has been suffering from a foot injury.
At the beginning of February she was omitted from Sonia Bompastor’s squad for the Champions League knockout stages.
Macario would become the latest Chelsea player to depart the club for the NWSL, after winger Guro Reiten’s move to Gotham FC was confirmed on Thursday.
Macario’s frustrating Chelsea career
Analysis by Cerys Jones
Macario has not necessarily been a consistent starter for Chelsea, but her departure is a significant blow to their attacking ranks.
Macario’s experience as a European champion with Lyon was supposed to help Chelsea over the line to a maiden Champions League title. She has left without that happening.
Her Chelsea career has been hugely hindered by injury — she did not make her debut for the club until almost a year after signing, and has had fitness struggles this season too.
It also has significant implications for their summer plans: if Sam Kerr, 32, were also to leave when her contract expires this summer, the only central strikers in the squad would be Mayra Ramirez and Aggie Beever-Jones.
Ramirez has not yet featured for Chelsea this season after requiring hamstring surgery and then picking up further injuries in rehab, and Beever-Jones has also had intermittent injury struggles. Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal and Kerr’s age were already arguments for recruiting a striker this summer and Macario’s departure would only strengthen that.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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