Gotham FC signs Jaedyn Shaw to four-year contract extension

Gotham FC signed 20-year-old midfielder Jaedyn Shaw to a contract extension, locking her in through the 2029 season, the club announced Thursday. 

The deal shows the confidence Gotham has in Shaw, a 2024 Olympic gold medalist, being a vital part of its core group, alongside Esther Gonzalez, Jaelin Howell and Tierna Davidson, all of whom are signed through 2027, according to Spotrac. 

Rose Lavelle’s current deal expires after next season. 

Gotham general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said she’s “thrilled” to have Shaw with Gotham for the next four years. 

“Jaedyn has already demonstrated her incredible quality in the short time she’s been with us,” Averbuch West said in a statement. “[We] look forward to watching her continue to thrive and make an impact with our club.”

Gotham acquired Shaw in an NWSL-record $1.25 million transfer from the the North Carolina Courage in early September.

Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós believed in Shaw’s potential and said he thought she was “very special.”

Shaw scored a goal in her Gotham debut against the San Diego Wave, the team with which she made her professional debut at the age of 17. Shaw has played a total of nine games for Gotham, including seven starts, in all competitions. 

Howell called Shaw a “huge addition.”

“We love having her on and off the field, and so I’m super-excited that she’s here for a while,” Howell told The Post. “She’s a big player, and I think it says a lot about this club, her wanting to stay for that long. And I think that in the long run, keeping the core group together and obviously she loves it here and I think that’s gonna pay off big for us.”

Gotham got the extension finalized three days before the club opens the NWSL playoffs against the league’s best team, the Kansas City Current, in a quarterfinals match on Sunday.