Opinion: KC Current Should Trade Ally Sentnor

Nine months ago, the Kansas City Current made waves when they announced they had traded for US Women’s National Team attacker, Ally Sentnor. The rich get richer was the sentiment around the league.

The KC Current were in the middle of a record-breaking season. They would go on to set numerous regular season records before ultimately faltering in the 2025 NWSL playoffs.

However, since Sentnor arrived, her play on the pitch hasn’t matched the hype. She’s underperformed, she is without a position, she’s almost out of contract and she simply doesn’t seem to be a fit with the KC Current. For those reasons and others, Kansas City should trade Ally while they can get a good return.

Let’s dive deeper.

Underperformance

When Sentnor is with the USWNT, she’s a star. In just 21 appearances with the senior Nats, she has 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists). In her third season in the NWSL, she has 11 goal contributions in 51 appearances (FBref) so far. Not bad numbers, but not elite.

The first two seasons, where 34 appearances and nine of the goal contributions came from, were with the Utah Royals. It was thought, because those Utah teams finished 11th and 12th in the standings, that she would flourish when she came to a contender like KC.

Instead, in 17 more appearances (13 starts), she’s added a single goal and one assist in 1,158 minutes. That’s despite starting every game in the 2026 NWSL season for a KC Current team that is still loaded with the majority of the talent that set records last season.

There is an obvious caveat that injuries have plagued the team, but even with a return to health, they were obliterated 4-0 last Friday by the Washington Spirit. There are bigger problems on the KC Current than Sentnor, but she’s not pulling her weight as a starting striker.

What Position is Ally, Actually?

In 2026, the USWNT star has mostly lined up at striker/center forward. In 2025, she was often used as an attacking midfielder. Even this year, her and Debinha interchange at times. It’s possible Ally is that classic 9.5, not quite a striker (#9) and not quite an attacking mid (#10).

And whatever role she’s being asked to play, it’s big shoes to fill. Bia Zaneratto lit the league on fire as the KC Current’s striker the last two season. Debinha is still one of the best players and the world and is often tasked to play that attacking mid role (though she moves around a ton and it doesn’t seem to slow her down).

Another issue is Sentnor is constantly in the exact same spot as her teammates. Perhaps that’s coaching, as Chris Armas said it was by design to have players in the same areas. They need to be near each other for quick passing and when there are turnovers, they can quickly counter press, he told the media after a game this season.

When we asked Ally about that same thing, she said, “it’s about really confusing the defense.” Her and Debinha can alternate runs and no one knows who is going. Except, so far, the KC Current seem to be causing more harm than good with their tactics.

All that said, Ally being unable to find her spot, in admittedly limited time with just over half a season of games with the Current, isn’t unreasonable. The problem is that time is running out.

Contract Expiration

Even though Sentnor was just acquired late last summer, she is out of contract after the 2026 season. The KC Current traded $600,000 in intraleague transfer funds to the Utah Royals to acquire Sentnor. $100,000 of that isn’t even being paid out until 2027.

There is a real possibility, if things keep going the way they are, Sentnor will not want to return in 2027. She’ll surely have offers overseas as a USWNT star. She can sign a pre-contract as early as this summer and walk for free.

To have spent so much, and potentially to lose a player for nothing, would be atrocious business by the Current. In a salary capped league like the NWSL, you have to make smart roster moves. And ultimately, this is a business. It’s nothing personal, as Sentnor has been forthcoming and easy to work with from my perspective.

But perhaps Sentnor wants to re-sign you might be saying. That could be true, but it won’t be cheap. She’s on her rookie deal from being a draft pick in 2024. Even with her underperformance for her club, she’d surely be due a large raise. If that’s the case, who else on the Current do you want to see walk to make room for her salary?

It gets more complicated when you realize maybe not everyone can fit when these rookie contracts run out.

The Time to Sell is Now

Sentnor’s value isn’t going up in the next few months. By summer, she can sign overseas for nothing and leave after the year. I think other NWSL teams would be happy to come trade for Sentnor right now. They see her performance with the National Team and can write off this down time in KC as a blip on a team that is quite bad so far in 2026.

Or maybe they sell her to a European team? There are a handful of big spending clubs that would be happy to add another USWNT star to their ranks.

Replacement Options

2025 and 2026 Teal Rising Cup MVP | Credit: KC Current

If Ally leaves, who steps up?

The first option is Haley Hopkins. I’ve been lambasted in some areas of the internet (Reddit, Facebook) and even by colleagues calling it ‘the backup quarterback would be better’ type of take. But I stand by this idea.

Hopkins has gotten a lot of attention lately for scoring four goals and adding and assist and a forced own goal during the most recent Teal Rising Cup. Yes, Palmeiras and Corinthians were missing players, but so were the Current.

Haley was a star of the tourney, just like she was in 2025. But it wasn’t just this tournament. She has shown grit and determination in her limited time on the field for the Current since arriving for a mere $50,000 in intraleague transfer funds from the North Carolina Courage ahead of the 2025 season.

I’ll let Global Sporting Director, Vlatko Andonovski describe what he was looking for just before he signed Hopkins.

“We want to add at least one more forward that will bring a different dynamic to the team,” Andonovski stated. “Maybe a little more physical forward, a little more of a presence, aerial challenges, someone that has NWSL experience. That would be an ideal one.”

Days later they traded for Hopkins. Immediately, it was assumed she would backup Bia at striker. However, the vast majority of her minutes with the Current, outside of the Teal Rising Cup this year, have come on the wing. Despite playing a different role, she’s showed promise in her limited minutes.

Since arriving in KC, she has only played 717 league minutes but has added two goals and three assists (leaving out the Teal Rising Cup explosion). The sample size is small, but that’s done on the wing versus as the striker and often playing with other backups. Imagine if she was in between two of the best wingers in the league in Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper?

Also, she brings a lot of other skills to the table. She can hold the ball up and play it off well to her teammates. She’s essentially been a holdup winger at times. Imagine that in the middle of the park, like Bia did last year. She’s also pacey, strong, a tireless worker and has a nose for goal.

Beyond just Hopkins, Penelope Hocking and Gianna Paul have the ability to play striker. And of course, Temwa Chawinga and Debinha have filled in there at times too. Not to mention, Michelle Cooper was a striker in college. It wouldn’t be a bare cupboard. And while Mary Long is likely to miss most, if not all of this season, she’s a striker too.

If the KC Current can deal Sentnor for a good return, it may be best for everyone. She can find a better situation, KC can get a return on their investment, and perhaps they can flip that into buying a defensive midfielder to fill the gaping hole left by Claire Hutton’s sudden departure this offseason.

That last part may be key. The Current are 2-4-0 through six games. They are leaking goals while not scoring enough of them. This could be a solution that fixes both problems long-term.