It was widely reported a few weeks ago that rising 19-year-old US Women’s National Team star Mallory Pugh is leaving UCLA after less than a year to turn professional, but since that time there has been little concrete news regarding her club plans. Her desired destination is reportedly Portland, where she has family and knows several other national team players. However, the Washington Spirit currently hold the top slot for signing Unattached Federation Individuals — which is the mechanism by which the NWSL assigns new federation-subsidized players such as Pugh to teams — and they have no desire to make a deal with the Thorns, in part due to lingering ill will over Portland hiring former Spirit coach Mark Parsons in 2015.
Reign reportedly interested in acquiring Mallory Pugh
