SAN JOSE – Bay FC is bringing forward prospect Onyeka Gamero back to California.
The NWSL franchise announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Gamero for an undisclosed transfer fee from Spanish club FC Barcelona, pending receipt of her international transfer clearance.
The 19-year-old Gamero, a native of Cerritos, is signed through the 2028 NWSL season.
“I’m beyond excited to sign with Bay FC,” Gamero said in a statement released by the team. “Joining a club with such a strong vision and incredible support means everything to me.
“I’m ready to challenge myself, learn from the amazing players and coaches here, and grow every single day. This is the perfect place for me to develop into the player I know I can be, and I can’t wait to represent the Bay with pride, passion, and purpose.”
As a 17-year-old, Gamero committed to Stanford but signed with FC Barcelona B in 2023. Starting in June of that year, she began her professional career with the club and scored two goals and had an assist in nine matches before sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament that fall.
Gamero has reported to Bay FC and will complete her recovery locally. She is following return-to-play protocol as the team assesses the next steps in her recovery, a Bay FC spokesperson said.
Gamero played on the U.S. national team at the 2022 U-17 World Cup and later graduated to the U-20 team in 2023, participating in the CONCACAF women’s U-20 Championship and scoring one goal and two assists in five games, which helped the Americans qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Gamero was a nominee for the U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
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“Onyeka is a great young talent with enormous potential that has only been hinted at while she was with FC Barcelona,” Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya said in a statement. “She’s a threat in all areas of the pitch and will only get better as she continues to develop.”
The transaction comes in the NWSL’s secondary transfer window, which began July 1 and runs through Aug. 25. Bay FC (4-6-3) is 10th in the NWSL standings with 15 points, three points out of a playoff spot with 13 games to go.
Bay FC hosts two Summer Series Friendlies at PayPal Park this month, facing Angel City FC on July 19 and Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds on July 27.