Sunday was not the Chelsea debut Naomi Girma was expecting — for multiple reasons. She will need to adapt to life at Chelsea quickly.

Naomi Girma, a top defender for the USWNT, made her debut for Chelsea Sunday in a WSL match following a record-breaking transfer fee in January.

Naomi Girma, women’s soccer’s first million-dollar player, has been injured on her Chelsea debut. The United States defender was taken off after 59 minutes of the 2-2 draw against Brighton and it was not immediately clear how serious the unspecified injury was.

Girma is seen as one of the final pieces of the puzzle. She is the flagship signing of an unprecedented year of transfers in which Chelsea have added Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze – who have seven Champions League titles between them – to the squad alongside a crop of prodigious talents from across Europe.

Sonia Bompastor is hopeful that injured Chelsea duo Naomi Girma and Keira Walsh will be available for the League Cup final against Manchester City on 15 March.

Girma was not part of the U.S. roster at February’s SheBelieves Cup, having missed the January camp due to a minor calf injury, and Bompastor said after a positive fortnight of training, she would likely be included in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Brighton & Hove Albion in the WSL.

Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor said USWMNT defender Naomi Girma would be in the matchday squad for Sunday's WSL game against Brighton.

Chelsea hope to have United States international Naomi Girma available for their Subway Cup final against Manchester City on March 15. Girma made her first Chelsea appearance last Sunday since joining for a world-record $1.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said that United States women's national team defender Naomi Girma will make her debut for the club vs. Brighton & Hove Albion in Women's Super League play on Sunday.

Girma completed a record-breaking transfer to Chelsea from the San Diego Wave in January. The USWNT star became the first $1 million transfer in women's soccer, joining the WSL champion in a deal worth $1.1 million. The 24-year-old had to wait more than a month to make her debut for Chelsea as she worked her way back from a calf injury.

USWNT players have been on the move this offseason, including Naomi Girma's record-setting transfer to Chelsea, and the NJ/NY Gotham FC exodus. Let's grade them all!

U.S. defender Naomi Girma, the first female million-dollar player, was injured and replaced during the second half of her Chelsea debut on Sunday.