Seattle Reign FC acquires Keelin Winters from the Chicago Red Stars in the first ever NWSL trade

BY / Posted March 1, 2013
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The Seattle Reign FC and Chicago Red Stars have agreed to the first ever trade in NWSL history with the Red Stars sending midfielder Keelin Winters to the Reign FC in exchange for a first round pick in the 2014 College Draft and future considerations.

“Regardless of positional needs, there are moments when you have to take a risk and bet on a player’s future,” said general manager Amy Carnell. “In this instance the chance to acquire Keelin was an incredible opportunity. She is young, enormously talented and has significant upside. We believe she will only get better playing for a city and fan base she loves.”

Winters was allocated to the Chicago Red Stars as one of the 23 USWNT players that were distributed amongst the eight teams in the league. The former 2011 WPS Rookie of the Year played collegiately for the University of Portland and then joined Seattle Sounders Women in 2012 after the WPS folded.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to play for Seattle Reign FC,” Winters said. “I’m looking forward to working with a world-­‐class coach in this new league and improving my game. I am very much attached to the Pacific Northwest, and I can’t wait to play in front of a packed house at Starfire Stadium.”

According to Equalizer Soccer, the Reign FC will receive the Red Stars fourth round pick in the 2014 College Draft so that all NWSL teams will have equal number of picks.

As far as what the Red Stars will receive as “future considerations” from the Reign FC, that is still a little cloudy. The Red Stars announced “as part of the future considerations, the Red Stars have acquired the rights to Seattle’s 2014 U.S. WNT Allocated player.” Then shortly afterward the Reign FC sent NWSLNews.com a tweet stating “the trade includes Seattle’s pick (by 9/30/13) of one of its four USWNT players – Solo, Rapinoe, Winters or Rodriguez.” We are still working on getting confirmation from the league, but if you read into those two statements, USWNT allocated players will be with their respective teams for at least two seasons.

So who do you think came out ahead in the first ever trade in NWSL history?