Casey Stoney has been sacked as boss of NWSL club San Diego Wave.

The former England and Arsenal defender, 42, moved to San Diego in 2021, two months after leading Manchester United to fourth place in the WSL.

Wave won the NWSL Shield last season – awarded to the team with the most wins – but they have managed just three league victories in 14 games during this campaign and are winless in the last seven.

“We are immensely grateful to Casey for her commitment to our club and the positive impact she has had both on and off the pitch,” said San Diego Wave president Jill Ellis.

“The decision to part ways was very hard and not made in haste, but given the ambition of this club, and where we are in our season, we felt a change was necessary at this time.”

Wave started this season by beating NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL Challenge Cup in March, played between the 2023 Shield and Championship winners.

A new ownership group agreed to buy the franchise that month and the deal is expected to be completed at the end of the 2024 season.

As well as Arsenal, Stoney also represented Charlton, Chelsea, Lincoln and Liverpool during her playing career, earning 130 England caps along the way.

She became the first manager of the newly formed Manchester United team in 2018, helping them win the Championship title and promotion to the WSL in their inaugural season