Current acquires Alana Cook in trade with Seattle

The Kansas City Current have acquired Alana Cook in trade from the Seattle Reign. Kansas City will send $40,000 in allocation money and $75,000 in intra-league transfer funds to Seattle. An additional $25,000 in intra-league transfer funds will be sent if Cook meets specific incentive-based requirements. Cook starts training with the Current this week and will be available for matches once the NWSL Secondary Transfer Window opens on August 1st.

“Alana is a smart and experienced center back who has proved that she can play at the highest levels,” said head coach Vlatko Andonovski via press release. “She will be a great addition to this team and help us become even more competitive going forward.”

Needed defensive reinforcement

Cook will bolster a Kansas City defense that has been the Current’s weakest spot in an otherwise stellar season. Gabrielle Robinson was having a breakout season in her second year before suffering a season-ending injury with a torn ACL. Elizabeth Ball, Stine Ballisager, and Lauren are the other main options at center back. All pg them good in their own right but none of them really clinched as a lock down defender. Grace Bahr was recently signed as a National Team Replacement player. Bahr is listed as a midfielder but can also be used as a center back for the Current.

Andonovski started Ellie Wheeler and Regan Steigleder as a center back pain in the opening Summer Cup match with Houston. Ballisager had some time off after Euro competition and Lauren with Brazil at the Olympics so the Current were left short handed. Ball was listed as questionable on the report but was not on the gameday roster, which could indicate a longer injury.

Cook will be available for the Current’s third Summer Cup match and the Women’s cup matches before they return to NWSL play.

Reunited

Andonovski coached Cook with the National Team which coincided with her best seasons for club and country. Cook was named to the NWSL’s Best XI in 2021 and 2022 and was a finalist for the NWSL Defensive Player of the Year in both of those seasons. Cook was a regular starter for Andonvski on the national team so it is a logical reunion.

Credit: Thad Bell