Angel City Coach Gets Brutally Honest About Alyssa Thompson’s Chelsea Rumors: “Players Need to Adapt”

At last, the cat is finally out of the bag! The past few days have seen Angel City FC youngster Alyssa Thompson get heavily linked with a surprise move to Chelsea. Already, the NWSL side had announced the exit of not one but three players this season, including Julie Dufour, Katie Zelem, and Alanna Kennedy. Now it’s Thompson who is making waves for the very same reason. While nothing has been finalized, ACFC head coach Alexander Straus has already come out with his thoughts on the whole situation.

In the aftermath of his side’s crucial 2-1 win over Bay FC in the Matchday 18 regular-season game, the former Bayern Munich boss was quizzed on the possibility of Alyssa Thompson potentially leaving NWSL for WSL. Interestingly, Straus replied, “Not much [clarification to offer] but I can say a couple of things. We have lost, without Alyssa — which I don’t know to be honest; I cannot comment on that and how the situation is — we lost three other international players, and we got better”.

“This group, the way they work and how they can grow together, I’m so proud of them today. Because it’s not been easy with all of these things, speculation and stuff. But anybody — if it’s me [or other Angel City staff or executives], none of us is bigger than the club. So, we focus on, what are our values together? If somebody leaves at some point — or somebody has left, a couple weeks ago — I think it does something to a group. It’s not easy, but it’s how you manage it.

“The last couple days, I’m honest about it, it’s been difficult. It’s hard for me in my position when things change and this excused absence [clarifies with team spokesperson] — that happened yesterday. It changes our plans, and it changes the plans for the players, it changes our structures and strategies of what we’re gonna do. The same happened the week before the Orlando game with Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem and Julie Dufour. You need to adapt to new things.

“The players need to adapt to new things. I’m really, really proud of them. I’m really, really proud of this group of players, how they came together today. All the noise was shut out from everything around and for those 95 minutes the game [inaudible] and we became something bigger than just the 11 or 12, 13, 14, 15 players. We became something bigger and that’s beautiful to see, to be honest.”

Here is Angel City FC head coach Alexander Straus' full answer in Monday's postgame press conference when asked for clarification about Alyssa Thompson's absence. #NWSL pic.twitter.com/BKV9odcKuZ

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) September 2, 2025

(This is a developing story…)

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