5 things on Gotham FC's to-do list this offseason

4. Make a decision on Midge Purce's future

Another key pending free agent this offseason with an option is Midge Purce. After winning the Championship Game MVP in 2023, she tore her ACL in the regular season opener against Portland Thorns FC and missed the rest of the season. And while Gotham FC still had an incredible 2024 without her, it was easy to see in certain games that a winger with Purce's speed and trickery could have helped in turning losses into draws and draws into wins.

But it is worth asking whether those skills will still be there after an ACL tear. The forward is still only 29 years old and, given when the injury occurred, could be ready to go early next season. The question of what a contract extension looks like is still out there. More than likely, Gotham will look for something short-term. One year with an option for a second is probably along the lines of what the Bats will seek. Or they will try to pick up her option and extend it later on.

However, is that what Purce is looking for? She very clearly enjoys being a part of this club and living in the New York City area, but does she like it enough to potentially forego a longer deal? If she has her heart set on something longer than a 1+1 contract or does not agree to the option, will the team be willing to go that far as well? Either way, a decision needs to be made soon because the longer this lingers the longer it could potentially hold up a Sheehan extension and any other potential signing.

3. Figure out where things stand with Crystal Dunn and Gotham

On September 27, Crystal Dunn appeared on the Gotham FC availability report as having an excused absence. The Long Islander would keep that designation through the regular season and playoffs, with her last appearance coming in the team's 1-0 home win over Utah Royals FC in a 22-minute cameo.

Dunn's leave of absence has not been explained, not that it is really any of the fans' business anyway. Whatever the reason is though needs to be communicated by the player to the team so they can move forward into the offseason with a clear plan for her in 2025.

At the time of her signing last offseason, Dunn was seen as a bit of a coup by Gotham as they had reportedly beaten out competition from the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit for her signature. And while her fellow USWNT teammates Tierna Davidson, Lavelle, and Emily Sonnett had strong debut seasons with Gotham, the versatile player was somewhat disappointing.

From a statistical standpoint, this was Dunn's worst season since her rookie year in Washington except for her 2022 season with the Portland Thorns where she only played six games due to the birth of her son.

Dunn initially struggled to find a consistent place in the Starting XI to begin the year. She started only four of the first ten games. She then got a longer run in the team over the summer thanks in part to a number of injuries to Gotham's starters. And while this saw an uptick in her overall performance, the real Dunn-esque games everyone had become used to in the past were not truly there. She only managed one goal in the NWSL season during the 2-1 home win over Angel City FC on June 8.

This inconsistency in playing time went away when she went to the Olympics where she started all six games. This included playing 300 minutes across the three knockout stage games in a week en route to an Olympic Gold Medal.

Whether this workload, the lack of consistent playing time with the Bats, or some combination of the two as well as potentially other outside factors played a factor is questionable. Hopefully, Gotham FC knows why and can answer whether Dunn is willing to return in 2025. If not, then the club has a huge trade chip they can use to strengthen the team in other areas.