Long gone is the signing of Mapi León to Barça from Atlético de Madrid for 50,000 euros in 2017, the most expensive in Spanish football at the time. The transfer market in women’s football has exploded in recent years due to the economic injection and the price of players hasn’t stopped rising. Just this week, Racheal Kundananji, now a former Madrid CFF player, became the most expensive transfer in the history of women’s football for a fee of 735,000 euros from Bay FC.
The Zambian international has exploded the market with this transfer, which is now women’s football history. Kundananji was in spectacular form, starring for Madrid CFF in a season to remember.
Her goals have guided the Madrid side to fourth place in Liga F. Fifth top scorer in the championship with eight goals and four assists, which accounted for 21% of her former team’s goals.
Bay FC is one of the teams that were after Kundananji. They have been quick to think about it and have paid a record fee that could rise. The deal includes a payment of 735,000 euros and a bonus agreement of 70,000 euros based on goals scored in the NWSL. The Zambian attacker has signed a million-dollar contract until 2027, with an option for a further year.
This team belongs to the San Francisco Bay Area (California) and was founded in 2023. Bay FC has arrived in the elite of women’s football with a very strong footprint, where it will debut in the National Women’s Super League in the 2024 edition.
The club has been created by four US women’s football legends: Aly Wagner, Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne and Danielle Slaton. In this competition there are old acquaintances from Spanish football who emigrated recently, such as Esther González and Maitane.
With the departure of Kundananji, the talent drain from the Spanish league is confirmed. Liga F loses one of its top scorers and one of its most outstanding players. Last season, the 23-year-old Zambian attacker was the second top scorer in the competition with 25 goals, just two behind Alba Redondo. And she achieved this in her first year at Madrid CFF after joining from Eibar, where she had played just one season.
This signing has surpassed the record that took place just a few weeks ago also in the Spanish league. Chelsea paid Levante 450,000 euros for 24-year-old Colombian striker Mayra Ramírez. Another sign that young talent is leaving Spain and nothing is being done to try to keep it. The striker debuted as a goalscorer with a back-heeled goal in less than two weeks with her new team and is already a hit in England.
The big problem isn’t the departure of these players, because in the end it is good that clubs from all over the world invest in women’s football. The main mistake is the Spanish teams, who do not use the money received in the right way. Levante have already announced cuts in the women’s section and it seems that they will not invest the money in improving their squad. It remains to be seen whether Madrid CFF will take an ambitious course and use the money to stay in the upper part of the table.
Until recently, no transfer fees were paid for the transfer of players. Now the clubs are armouring their stars and signing long contracts with good economic conditions. All this with the arrival of the expected professionalisation, representation agencies and clauses in contracts. Gone are the days when players signed for one season and then decided their fate with little or no money involved.
Liga F can’t be left behind and Spanish clubs must fight not to stop this growth that is being experienced worldwide. FC Barcelona is the ‘invincible’ team and, for there to be a real level playing field one day, the teams must continue to invest and improve conditions. Winning a World Cup and being one step away from the Olympic Games is the clearest proof that Spanish football has the best talent.
Are we going to let our talent slip away so easily?
Translated by Marcos Rodríguez.
Main image: @MadridCFF.
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