Orlando Pride Trade Jodie Taylor to San Diego Wave FC

The Orlando Pride announced the trade of forward Jodie Taylor to San Diego Wave FC this afternoon. In return, the Pride will receive San Diego’s second- or third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft or allocation money, pending conditions met.

The Pride acquired the rights to Taylor from the North Carolina Courage on Feb. 4, 2021 in exchange for defender Carson Pickett. They went on to sign the English international on July 8 from Lyon in France for the remainder of the 2021 NWSL season.

“We want to thank Jodie immensely for her time with the club. She is a professional in every sense of the word, a wonderful presence to have in and around the team, and a special talent on the field,” Pride General Manager Ian Fleming said in a club press release. “We look forward to watching Jodie take strides toward the next steps of her career and wish her nothing but the absolute best for the future.”

After arriving in Orlando, Taylor became a regular in the team’s starting lineup. She played in 13 games (starting each) and recorded 960 minutes. She got off to a great start, scoring in back-to-back games against the Chicago Red Stars on Aug. 8 and the Portland Thorns on Aug. 14. However, she didn’t score again until Oct. 16 against Racing Louisville, her third and final goal of the season.

In her 13 appearances, the 35-year-old forward took 10 shots, placing six on target, and recorded one assist. Additionally, she had 12 key passes in the attack.

“Although my time in Orlando was brief, I have had a great experience and really enjoyed my time at the club,” Taylor said in the club release. “I would like to thank my teammates, the staff, the club, and the fans for making me feel so welcome and for the opportunity to represent the Pride this season. I wish everyone the best of luck in the future.”

What It Means for Orlando

Taylor was one of the regular front three starters for the Pride this year, alongside Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan. The team hasn’t added any forwards yet this off-season, but Taylor Kornieck was dropped into the midfield. This move could make way for her to play in a more attacking role this coming season.

This move also allows the Pride to get a little bit younger. Currently, the team has several players on the back end of their prime or in the latter playing years, including Marta (35), Ali Krieger (37), Leroux (31), Jade Moore (31), Morgan (32), Gunny Jonsdottir (33), and Ali Riley (34). If the Pride obtain a draft pick, they can get a young player who can grow with the team.