Thorns lose Weaver, Payne, Müller for season

Portland Thorns forward Morgan Weaver will miss the upcoming National Women's Soccer League season because of a right knee injury.

The Thorns announced Weaver's injury on Wednesday. Defenders Nicole Payne and Marie Müller were also put on the team's season-ending injury list.

"Unfortunately my knee never fully healed from last season's injury so I will be restarting the process of rehabbing my meniscus," Weaver said in a post on Instagram. "With that being said I will still be supporting Portland till the very end! I am not done yet and can't wait to be back to win another championship!"

Weaver had surgery on her knee last May but returned to the Thorns in September. In January, she was invited to train with the U.S. women's national team.

Weaver has played in 68 games since joining the Thorns in 2020, scoring 16 goals.

Payne injured her knee in an exhibition game against Angel City at the Coachella Valley Invitational earlier this month, while Müller also sustained a knee injury while training with the German national team.