Former Florida State standout inks deal through 2026 with option for 2027 season
San Francisco (Jan. 26, 2024) – Bay FC, the Bay Area’s new women’s professional soccer franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), have acquired the rights to Venezuelan international Deyna Castellanos through a transfer with Manchester City Women in exchange for a transfer fee, the club announced today. Following the transfer, the midfielder was signed to a contract through the 2026 season with an option for the 2027 campaign. She will join the team and be added to the roster pending the receipt of her P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
“Deyna is a tremendous talent, who has already gained top-level experience playing abroad in some of the top leagues in the world as well as for her national team, and we believe she will make an immediate impact playing for this club in the NWSL,” said Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton. “Deyna is a player you can’t take your eyes off – she is enigmatic, dynamic and will excite our supporters with her attacking flair and play.
As an attacking midfielder, she can find her way out of tight spaces and deliver pinpoint passes, break lines with dribbling and passing and has the ability to create and score goals in many different ways, including from set pieces. We are thrilled to have secured her and be bringing her back to America and Bay FC.”
Castellanos began her professional career in 2020 with Atlético Madrid, helping the team win the Supercopa de Espana Femenina during the 2020-21 season and earn a fourth-place finish in the league during the 2021-22 campaign. Following the conclusion of her contract in Spain, Castellanos signed with Manchester City ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Across three seasons with Atlético, Castellanos appeared in 71 matches across all competitions, tallying 26 goals as the team finished among the top four in each of those seasons. During the 2019-20 campaign, the club finished second in the Primera Division and qualified for the Champions League. In the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League tournament, the midfielder tallied one goal and two assists as she helped Atlético advance to the Round of 16.
In June 2022, the Venezuelan international joined Manchester City and made her debut for the club on Aug. 18 in a Champions League match, scoring a penalty kick in a 6-0 win. During her first season, Castellanos made 28 appearances across all competitions, tallying four goals across the 2022-23 campaign. Across the 2023-24 season, Castellanos appeared in eight games across all competitions, scoring one goal in the Leagues Cup against Leicester City.
At the international level, Castellanos is the captain of the Venezuela Women’s National, earning 38 caps and tallying 22 goals for her country. She scored her first international goal in her senior team debut against Ecuador on April 5, 2018, in the Copa América Femenina. As a youth international, she helped Venezuela finish fourth at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, winning the Golden Boot with a tournament-best six goals. At the 2016 U-17 Women’s World Cup, she again helped Venezuela finish among the top four, winning both the Bronze Ball and Bronze Shoe. In 2017, she was a finalist for the FIFA Best Player of the Year Award and Her stoppage time goal in that tournament against Cameroon, helped her team advance and was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award, which is given to the best goal of the year.
Castellanos was a standout player for Florida State from 2016-19, winning the 2018 NCAA Championship with the Seminoles. At Florida State, Castellanos played in 82 games and finished her career with 48 goals and 22 assists. Her 48 goals rank as the second-most in school history. She was a three-time All-American (2017-19), four-time first team All-Region pick, the 2019 ACC Offensive Player and Midfielder of the Year in addition to earning first team All-ACC recognition in each of her last three seasons.
Deyna Castellanos
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-7
Birthdate: April 18, 1999
Hometown: Maracay, Venezuela
Previous Club: Manchester City Women (WSL)
Citizenship: Venezuela
College: Florida State University
Bay FC will kick off its inaugural season in March 2024 at PayPal Park in San Jose. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC’s inaugural season and new merchandise can be purchased at BayFC.com. Fans can also follow @wearebayfc on social channels for more exciting announcements to come.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
