U.S. women’s soccer star Sam Mewis signs with Manchester City

Aug. 11 (UPI) — United States Women’s National Team star Sam Mewis has joined English club Manchester City.

City announced the pact Monday. Mewis, 27, had spent the last four seasons with the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League.

“The club is one of the best in the world and I’ve heard such good things about the women’s side as a whole and the incredible facilities,” Mewis told ManCity.com.

The U.S. midfielder has scored 18 times and has six assists in 67 international appearances.

Mewis helped the Courage reach the NWSL Challenge Cup quarterfinals after the 2020 NWSL campaign was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. City had its 2019-2020 Women’s Super League campaign halted in May due to the pandemic, but finished second in the standings.

City will face Aston Villa on Sept. 6 to start its 2020-2021 campaign.

“I’m really excited to see how I fit in with the group,” Mewis said of her new English club.

Several other U.S. women’s team stars have made the jump to Europe over the years. Carli Lloyd went on loan to Manchester City in 2017. Crystal Dunn played at Chelsea. Alex Morgan and Morgan Brian spent time with Olympique Lyonnais.

Mewis played for the Pali Blues in the USL W-League in 2013 before she was selected out of UCLA by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. The Flash sold to new ownership in 2017 and moved to North Carolina, where they became the Courage.