Chelsea defender Naomi Girma has not been called up by United States manager Emma Hayes for the SheBelieves Cup as she recovers from a calf injury.
Girma became the most expensive signing in women’s football history when she joined the Women’s Super League champions from San Diego Wave for £900,000.
But the 24-year-old has yet to make her debut for the Blues and has not been selected for the Olympic champions’ upcoming matches against Colombia, Australia and Japan.
Hayes said Girma had suffered her injury at the end of last year and was not sure when she would be fit to play.
“Naomi picked up a calf injury prior to the January camp, she is still in the return to play protocol,” she told a media conference on Tuesday when asked by BBC Sport about Girma’s absence from the squad.
“It’s fair to say with not a lot of team training or games behind her she was not available for SheBelieves. When she is available to return, you will have to ask Chelsea.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor previously said after the win over Arsenal in January – during which Girma was unveiled on the Stamford Bridge pitch – that she had a slight injury.
Girma was part of Hayes’ USA team that won women’s football gold at Paris 2024 and the former Chelsea manager previously described the centre-back as the best defender in the world.
And she said her former club’s fans would fall in love with Girma once they had the chance to see her play.
“As a person and as a leader, she is someone who is exceptionally humble,” Hayes said. “As someone whose natural ability to read the game and make decisions under pressure, she is beyond her years.
“She is a great team-mate, great communicator, she is growing in her development as a leader. All of these exceptional qualities have got her a move, she will have an unbelievable career at Chelsea and the fans will love her.”
Also absent from the USA squad is Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who was called up by Hayes for their friendlies against England and the Netherlands in the last international break.
Tullis-Joyce is now number one at United and has played in all of their WSL games this season, but Hayes has named just two goalkeepers for the upcoming three matches and said the 28-year-old needs to work on her decision making in order to win her place back.
“Phallon has had a very good year, she defends her goal well and is progressing – but she has to continue improving her decision making under pressure,” Hayes said
“I would say for the goalkeepers not in here, they all know what they have to work on.”
