As the global transfer window closed this week, Racing Louisville FC made two transactions, acquiring star Nigerian striker Uchenna Kanu via transfer and loaning out rookie attacker Riley Parker.
Racing has signed Kanu to a two-year contract with a third year option, and will pay Tigres at least a $150,000 transfer fee, with further incentives if Kanu meets specific performance standards.
Louisville utilized allocation funds to pay a transfer fee to Tigres UANL in Mexico for Kanu, who signed a two-year deal with Racing with a 2025 option. Racing also loaned rookie forward Riley Parker to Tigres until the end of June after signing her to a one-year deal with a 2024 option.
“Uchenna is a great player with experience in three different top leagues. She was outstanding in her last year in Sweden. The last year has also been successful for Uche with both her club and national teams. We see her as a winger, but she can also play as a center forward. We’re really happy to have her.”
Kanu, 25, joins Racing following a standout season at Tigres, where she scored 20 goals in 30 games and helped Tigres win the Liga MX Femenil’s Torneo Apertura championship this past November. She is one of several exciting offseason signings to Louisville: Racing have added NWSL talents Abby Erceg and Carson Pickett, as well as experienced winger Paige Monaghan, as well as Brazilian international Ary Borges, South African standout Thembi Kgatlana, and Finnish defender Elli Pikkuyämsä to their roster.
Kanu’s signing with Louisville marks her return to the United States after scoring 157 goals and assisting 53 times for Southeastern University, an NAIA team in Florida. She was named NAIA Player of the Year in 2017 after scoring 57 goals in a single season.
