The NWSL’s most dynamic attack has just added another versatile scoring threat. The Kansas City Current acquired forward Ally Sentnor from the Utah Royals, sources briefed on the matter said Friday. Sentnor, 21, was named the 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.
Utah will receive $600,000 of transfer funds for the playmaker, while retaining a percentage if she’s sold by KC in the future, as reported by ESPN. The Athletic can add that Utah stands to acquire up to $100,000 if Sentnor reaches agreed-upon performance benchmarks.
Utah initially selected Sentnor with the first pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, instantly making her the face of the returning franchise. She signed a three-year contract upon being selected, seemingly giving her the confidence to grow into the professional ranks as the Royals worked to establish the foundation for a successful team.
Instead, the Royals have struggled to find any semblance of continuity. Utah dismissed coach Amy Rodriguez after 15 games into the 2024 season, and the club made Jimmy Coenraets the permanent replacement after he served as its interim coach. After finishing 11th last season, Utah sits last in the NWSL table with just five points earned from 13 games.
Despite her club’s struggles, Sentnor’s career hit a rapid ascent last summer. Serving as captain, she led the United States to its best showing at a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, with the team finishing in third place while Sentnor collected the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best performer. A few months later, in November, Sentnor made her full debut for the United States women’s national team at Wembley in a scoreless friendly against England. Her first goal for the USWNT came in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, and she has since been a regular part of Hayes’ squads through a period of considerable rotation.
Under coach Vlatko Andonovski, who took over Kansas City ahead of the 2024 season, the Current have been arguably the NWSL’s most dynamic and entertaining team. Their possession-based system will keep Sentnor on the ball more often than she was in Utah, while she’ll split shots and chance creation with a core led by Temwa Chawinga, Bia Zaneratto and Lo’eau LaBonta.
Another key attacker, Debinha, has been absent since late May with an injury to her deltoid ligament, a crucial part of the ankle.
While Andonovski confirmed Wednesday that the Brazil international is “getting very close” to returning to the team, Sentnor’s versatile skillset and ability to be both a volume shooter and a creator who can facilitate from her dribble should allow her to stay in the lineup even when Debinha returns.
Sentnor also arrives days after midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo announced that she is pregnant and will be on maternity leave. DiBernardo is among the NWSL’s best ball progressors, able to help Kansas City advance upfield with her array of passing and dribbling in close quarters. Sentnor can also provide a considerable amount of the missing creativity and upfield progression missing in DiBernardo’s absence, especially in the form of carrying.
Perhaps ironically, Sentnor joins the team that launched when the original Royals left Utah in 2020. The Current have been among the league’s most ambitious operations since debuting in 2021, opening the state-of-the-art CPKC Stadium in 2024. Sentnor is also one of four active Current players to make their USWNT debuts under coach Emma Hayes, joining midfielders Lo’eau LaBonta and Claire Hutton as well as winger Michelle Cooper.
The Current are the runaway NWSL leaders at the season’s midpoint, topping the table with 33 points and an eight-point gap ahead of second-place Orlando Pride.
(Photo: Troy Taormina / Imagn Images)
