Carli Lloyd to sign with Manchester City, return to Dash in June

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Carli Lloyd will not begin the NWSL season with the Dash, instead choosing to sign a short-term contract with English club Manchester City, several sources confirmed on Tuesday.

Lloyd, the two-time reigning world Player of the Year, is in England now. An official announcement is likely on Wednesday.

The Football Association Women's Super League Spring Series goes through May, and the UEFA Champions League final is scheduled for June 1. Manchester City has advanced to the quarterfinals of that tournament.

Once the Spring Series has concluded and Manchester City has won or been eliminated from the Champions League, Lloyd will return to the Dash. The NWSL will begin a 24-game schedule in mid-April so Lloyd should be back for at least the entire second half of the season.

Lloyd's deal is similar to the one fellow U.S. Women's National Team star Alex Morgan signed with French club Lyon in December. Morgan also could return to the Orlando Pride during the NWSL season.

Lloyd, 34, and Morgan are not the only major USWNT stars to leave the NWSL since the end of the 2016 season. Crystal Dunn in January left the Washington Spirit for Chelsea, also in the FAWSL.

The Dash will not receive a transfer fee or otherwise be compensated for Lloyd's departure. NWSL clubs do not have any control over the status of the contracted national team players they roster because the player salaries are paid by U.S. Soccer.

Carli Lloyd will sign a short-term contract with English club Manchester City. She will return to the Dash in June for at least the second half of the NWSL season. Carli Lloyd will sign a short-term contract with English club Manchester City. She will return to the Dash in June for at least the second half of the NWSL season. Photo: Celso Junior, Stringer Photo: Celso Junior, Stringer Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Carli Lloyd to sign with Manchester City, return to Dash in June 1 / 18 Back to Gallery

Lloyd has played with the Dash for two seasons, though she missed significant time due to an injury, the Women's World Cup in 2015 and the Summer Olympics in 2016.

She is the captain of the USWNT captain and has scored 96 goals in 232 appearances.

Lloyd had five goals and three assists in seven matches for the Dash last season. She missed 13 matches due to a knee injury suffered in the second game. In seven appearances in 2015 she had four goals and three assists.

The Dash acquired Lloyd in a trade after the 2014 season.