Share on LinkedIn

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The Portland Thorns have permanently acquired defender Nicole Payne from French club Paris Saint-Germain for an undisclosed fee, the team announced Tuesday.

Payne first joined the Thorns on loan in February, and has appeared in nine matches with six starts for the club so far. The move keeps her in Portland through the 2025 season.

“We are thrilled to be bringing in Nicole on a permanent basis, she has been a wonderful addition to our team and our Club,” General Manager and President of Soccer Operations Karina LeBlanc said. “Nicole has brought a level of competition to our outside back group which has helped raise the bar for all our defenders. We look forward to seeing how she will continue to impact our club going forward.”

SEE ALSO:

The Thorns and Timbers host a charity soccer match.

Payne joined Paris Saint-Germain in July 2023. She started her collegiate career at West Virginia, before spending her senior season at USC.

The Birmingham, Alabama native is also on the Nigeria women’s national team.

The Thorns host the San Diego Wave at 7 p.m. Friday at Providence Park.