In 2024, the women’s transfer market reached a record figure of $15.6 million, according to a FIFA report. This amount far exceeds the previous record set in 2023, marking a milestone in the growth of women’s football. The beginning of 2025 brought a new world record, with the transfer of USWNT defender Naomi Girma to Chelsea for $1.1 million in January. This record was surpassed in July, when Arsenal paid $1.36 million for Olivia Smith, from Liverpool.
Analysis of Summer Signings in European Women’s Football
Here are the ratings of the most outstanding summer signings in European women’s football. The evaluations are based on the potential impact of each player and the benefit to the clubs involved.
- Michelle Agyemang
- Loan
- Arsenal: A
- Brighton & Hove Albion: A
The young forward, 19 years old, was a game-changer for England in the 2025 European Championship. Arsenal faced the decision of keeping her in the team, risking less participation, or loaning her out so she could continue her development. Agyemang spent the previous season on loan at Brighton, where she was able to improve certain aspects of her game. With the departure of Nikita Parris, Agyemang could take on a more important role. This is a positive move for both clubs: Brighton gains a talented forward and Arsenal will reap the rewards of her development.
- Fridolina Rolfo
- Free agent
- Manchester United: B
A player of Rolfo’s caliber is not always available as a free agent. Barcelona, with financial problems, decided to let her go a year before the end of her contract. Her experience, having won titles with Bayern, Wolfsburg and Barcelona, should help United reach a new level.
- Maelys Mpomé
- Amount not disclosed
- Chelsea: B
- Brighton & Hove Albion: B
With so much competition in defense, Mpomé would hardly have a starting position. Although Chelsea is looking to sign young talents, the French international did not fit into the system, playing few games. Brighton gets a capable and respected defender.
- Julia Zigiotti Olme
- Amount not disclosed
- Bayern Münich: B
- Manchester United: A
The United has signed a truly talented player. The defensive midfielder was one of Sweden’s stars at the 2025 European Championship and knows the WSL well after her time at Brighton & Hove Albion. Her work ethic will be an asset to United. The 27-year-old arrives in Manchester with experience in titles, including a double with Bayern last season.
- Elena Linari
- Amount not disclosed
- Roma: C
- London City Lionesses: A
The London City Lionesses have made a smart signing. The defender has won the Serie A title five times and the Coppa Italia six times. She was named in the Serie A team of the year three times and was one of Italy’s stars at the 2025 European Championship. The 31-year-old player is the type of signing that could be key to London City’s survival in the WSL.
Nikita Paris’s reaction to finding out about Maisie Symonds’ England call-up.
- Nikita Parris
- Free agent
- London City Lionesses: B
This is a sideways move for the veteran forward. Moving from a mid-table WSL team to a newly promoted one won’t give her much difference in terms of playing time. The move is unlikely to revive her England career. It’s great for London City to bolster their squad with experienced players, as experience will be needed during their debut campaign. Brighton was a productive move for Parris, and after only one season, a departure seems a bit premature, especially if Michele Kang’s Lionesses are going to fight against relegation next season.
- Sam Kerr
- Amount not disclosed
- Bayern Münich: B
- Liverpool: B+
Despite winning the Bundesliga title with Bayern, Kerr didn’t fare well in Germany. In January, she was deemed expendable and allowed to join Liverpool on loan. A departure this summer always seemed likely and, with the midfielder having signed a contract with Bayern until 2026, the German team will have managed to recoup a fee. For Liverpool, signing Kerr permanently was a no-brainer. There’s a lot of upheaval for the Reds at the moment, with their search for a coach ongoing, so retaining the services of a player who adapted quickly last season makes a lot of sense.
- Martina Fernandez
- Amount not disclosed
- Barcelona: B
- Everton: A
It’s been a difficult couple of years for Everton. A succession of injuries to key players, along with financial restrictions behind the scenes, have made it difficult for Brian Sorensen’s team to really take off. But, with the new owners of The Friedkin Group now in place, the club is starting to make moves in the transfer window. With limited opportunities at Barcelona, Fernández joined Everton on loan in January and impressed so much that she was named the club’s young player of the year. She played every minute of the 12 WSL matches she was available for and, at just 20 years old, looks like a smart permanent addition.
Analysis of why Olivia Smith was the first 1 million pound player.
- Olivia Smith
- 1 million pounds ($1.36 million)
- Liverpool: B
- Arsenal: A
Liverpool set a high asking price, and with good reason. At 20 years old, Smith is already an experienced and prolific winger, who has yet to enter the prime years of her career. She was crucial to Liverpool’s campaign last season and, with two years left on her contract, demand was always going to be high. The Reds were reluctant to part with her, but £1 million for a club with a historically strict budget will do wonders for the caliber of players they can now bring in. Lyon and Chelsea were interested, but neither was willing to match the world-record requirement. Arsenal did, and it’s a solid statement from the Gunners, who had previously seen world-record bids for Alessia Russo, Mary Earps, Naomi Girma, and Keira Walsh rejected. After winning the Champions League, they needed an impact signing to consolidate their plans to continue European dominance. But, with competition on the wing from recent addition Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead, who has one season left on her contract, keeping all three happy and rotating them may not be the easiest task. Smith would not have left a team like Liverpool, who were willing to build a team around her, to sit on the bench in North London. Some have wondered if the fee is too high for such a young player, but as fast as the women’s transfer market is growing, that fee could easily double in a year or two, making it a smart investment. Arsenal also needs to lower their age profile, so the introduction of Smith will gradually help the team’s transition.
- Anneke Borbe
- Free agent
- Arsenal: B
Borbe enjoyed an impressive season with Wolfsburg last season. The 24-year-old goalkeeper made 15 appearances in all competitions for the German team, establishing herself as their first choice in February this year and helping them reach the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals. For Wolfsburg, losing her as a free agent is a blow. But their loss is Arsenal’s gain. While Borbe is not a marquee signing, she will provide competition for number 1 Daphne van Domselaar and will be a solid backup as the Gunners look to compete on multiple fronts.
- Sydney Lohmann
- Amount not disclosed
- Bayern Munich: B-
- Manchester City: B+
Lohmann has spent his entire professional career to date with Bayern, having debuted at 16 years old, so it makes sense that he wants a new challenge. He won six major honors during his time in Bavaria, including four Bundesliga titles, and Bayern will miss his quality and experience. From City’s perspective, however, Lohmann is an excellent addition. The midfielder has already proven her worth both domestically and internationally and, while she won’t necessarily take the team to the next level, she will provide important depth and, crucially, a goal threat following the departure of midfielder Jill Roord to FC Twente.
- Lily Yohannes
- 450,000 euros
- Ajax: A
- OL Lyonnes: A
As a smaller club, Ajax was always going to have difficulty retaining a potential superstar like Yohannes. Like those in lower-ranked leagues or teams, the appeal of the big teams, with higher salaries, more opportunities, and more competition, always wins. But Ajax obtained a significant transfer fee for the 18-year-old USWNT star, which will serve the club to bring in replacements as they seek to advance in their European journey. Lyonnes was in competition with Chelsea to sign Yohannes, but they were unwilling to match Lyon’s very competitive offer. They are receiving an exceptionally talented wonderkid with Champions League experience, with high commercial value as well, given her ties to the USWNT. Lyon can also integrate younger players into the first team much faster than Chelsea, which means Yohannes is likely to get a starting position much sooner than if she had moved to West London. It’s a good signing for all parties involved.
- Poppy Pattinson
- Free Agent
- London City Lionesses: B+
Pattinson has been almost ever-present for Brighton during his three seasons at the club, so losing him as a free agent is perhaps not the smartest decision by Dario Vidosic’s team. For London City, however, his arrival is another real statement of intent, as the club seeks to establish itself as a WSL staple following its promotion from the second division. Pattinson is a left-back with a lot of experience and should bring a lot of quality and knowledge to the team as they fight for survival next season.
- Ellie Roebuck
- Free Agent
- Aston Villa: A
Roebuck has had a difficult few seasons. After being benched at Manchester City, she joined Barcelona in 2024, but suffered a stroke and has faced problems getting playing time since then. In fact, the 25-year-old has only made two appearances since the end of the 2022-23 season. It’s a shame that the Catalans couldn’t make the move work, as at one point she was destined to be Europe and England’s next star goalkeeper, although she hasn’t played for the Lionesses in over two years. The move will be great for boosting Roebuck’s confidence and minutes, while Villa are looking to build on some difficult recent seasons, so an experienced professional between the posts will surely help their cause.
- Becky Spencer
- Amount not disclosed
- Tottenham: B
- Chelsea: B+
This is an agreement that makes a lot of sense for all parties. At 34 years old, Spencer is a very experienced goalkeeper, hence Chelsea moved to bring her in as emergency goalkeeper cover in March. It’s no surprise that the deal has been made permanent. With Zecira Musovic announcing her pregnancy in February 2025, Chelsea needed a capable substitute for number 1 Hannah Hampton. After falling behind Eleanor Heeps and Lize Kop in Tottenham’s pecking order, Spencer will be on standby to step in as Chelsea looks to compete for the game’s biggest prizes.
- Taylor Hinds
- Free Agent
- Arsenal: B+
It’s interesting that Hinds is leaving Liverpool, where she was captain and a guaranteed starter, for a club where she will have to fight for playing time. The Jamaican international’s contract expired at Merseyside despite being offered a new deal. While joining the European champions will provide a greater challenge, Hinds may see a significant drop in playing time, as US international Emily Fox has secured her place at right-back. Arsenal also has its leadership team locked in with Kim Little, Leah Williamson, and Katie McCabe, so it’s unlikely she’ll take on a captaincy role, but adding another player capable of stepping up is never a bad thing. Although some rotation to give Fox a rest will give Hinds opportunities to play, the 26-year-old may become restless confined to the bench next season.
- Teyah Goldie
- Free Agent
- London City Lionesses: A-
It’s been a really tough few years for Goldie. The Arsenal academy product has twice torn her ACL, which significantly limited her opportunities at the Emirates. However, she enjoyed an excellent loan spell at London City last season, taking home the club’s young player of the year award and helping them get promoted. At just 21 years old, she has plenty of room to develop and could be a real asset as the club fights to avoid relegation.
- Korbin Albert
- Free Agent
- OL Lyonnes: A
For PSG, losing a player to their bitter rivals Lyonnes is nothing new and, after losing to the eight-time Champions League winners in both the regular season and the Première Ligue playoff final last season, Albert’s departure is another blow. The 21-year-old USWNT midfielder scored 12 goals in 71 appearances during her time in the French capital and already has the qualities of a top-level player. She adds to Lyonnes’ already impressive squad depth and will make it even more difficult for PSG to compete for the title next season.
- Ellie Carpenter
- Amount not disclosed
- Lyon: C-
- Chelsea: B-
Lyon is losing an experienced defender, although Carpenter is only 25 years old. She is one of several departures this summer, as the team looks to switch to younger talent with the arrival of Jonathan Giraldez as coach, but it seems like a bad deal to let a right-back with so much talent go. She will reunite with former coach Sonia Bompastor in London, and although Chelsea signed Lucy Bronze at right-back last season, Carpenter will serve as succession planning for the 33-year-old player. But as a regular starter for a top European team, the Australian international will not be happy to sit on the bench and neither will Bronze, so keeping everyone happy will be a difficult task. Despite being a very positive addition for Chelsea, the risk of disrupting harmony and balance in the team lowers the rating.
- Chloe Kelly
- Free Agent
- Arsenal: A
While Kelly left Man City on loan to rejoin her childhood club in January, there was little chance of the forward remaining at City after her contract expired. The relationship between the English winger and the club was broken and, amid an injury crisis, the loss of a fast and experienced forward left City in a worse place, while she went on to win the Champions League with the Gunners. It’s a great deal for Arsenal, and although Man City said goodbye to Kelly in January, the public consequences may not help their prospects of making future signings.
How Chelsea celebrated making Women’s Super League history.
- Ashley Lawrence
- Amount not disclosed
- Chelsea: B
- Lyon: A
Lawrence had a productive start to her time in London, but she never really broke into the team. With other players starting ahead of her, a transfer for the Canadian international is the right choice to allow her more playing time, although it is a slightly negative reflection on Bompastor, as former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes had a special ability to rotate to keep everyone happy. With Ellie Carpenter leaving, Lawrence covers a gap that needed to be filled, so it’s a smart move for both clubs. With her Champions League experience at PSG and Chelsea, she will be an asset to this new Lyon team.
- Jill Roord
- Amount undisclosed
- Man City: D
- FC Twente: A
In a strange turn of events, Roord requested a transfer back to the Netherlands with a year remaining on her contract. It will be a monumental loss for City. Even so, the 28-year-old midfielder is a great signing for the Dutch team, as they seek to compete in the Champions League and at the national level.
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto
- Free agent
- OL Lyonnes: A
It’s a big loss for PSG, as Katoto, one of the best strikers in the world at 26 years old, went to a direct rival as a free agent. It’s also a blow, after OL Lyonnes acquired Kadidiatou Diani from Paris last season. With OL Lyonnes paying high salaries thanks to owner Michele Kang and the money from their previous European dominance, this is likely not the last time PSG will lose a player, or a fee, to their rival. It’s a bad deal on the part of PSG that they still can’t compete.
- Jule Brand
- Free agent
- OL Lyonnes: A
Brand is 21 years old and is already one of the most promising wingers in Europe. Her ability to run at defenders and create problems in the rival penalty area makes her a varied offensive threat, and OL Lyonnes can be happy with the deal, especially since it’s a free transfer. Wolfsburg, however, has already lost many of its stars and is in transition. But this could be the one that hurts the most.
Keogh: Van de Donk’s deal is the first of many for the Lionesses of London City.
- Daniëlle van de Donk
- Free agent
- London City Lionesses: A
After four years in France, the 33-year-old player has returned to England, and a move to WSL debutant London City (which keeps her in the Kang club franchise) will give her great experience. The Dutch international spent six years in England with Arsenal and knows the depth of competitiveness and quality needed to play in the WSL. Her departure from Lyonnes also creates space for the club to bring in younger players as they seek to reduce the average age of their squad.
- Ingrid Engen
- Free Agent
- OL Lyonnes: A-
After having played most of her career in midfield, the Norwegian international stood out as a central defender with Barcelona during Mapi León’s injury. But after León’s return, Engen returned to the bench and struggled to play, so her departure is not surprising. Barcelona’s inability to negotiate a fee from OL Lyonnes is not the best deal, but the 27-year-old player will reunite with Jonatan Giráldez in France and fill the void left by Van de Donk’s departure.
- Sara Däbritz
- Free agent
- Real Madrid: A
Real Madrid is receiving an experienced professional who knows what it takes to win. As Madrid still doesn’t match Barcelona’s dominance in Liga F, Däbritz could bring them one step closer. For OL Lyonnes, moving forward with a 30-year-old player fits their plan to invest in and embed younger talent while trying to reduce the average age of their squad under Giráldez.
- Olga Carmona
- Free agent
- PSG: B
It’s a great loss for Real Madrid to say goodbye to their former captain, especially against a Champions League rival they will likely face at some point in the new competition format. Although PSG often struggles to fend off competition for their best players, Real Madrid has an equally poor track record of keeping theirs. It should be a positive step for Carmona, 25, if she can maintain a starting position, but it seems more like a sideways move than something that will greatly advance her career.
- Lina Hurtig
- Free agent
- Fiorentina: A
It was no surprise that Hurtig’s contract wasn’t extended in North London, and the Swedish international opted to leave. In fact, Hurtig struggled during her three-year stay, and although she can be a great talent, Arsenal couldn’t get enough out of her, so it was the right decision to part ways. Fiorentina is getting a Champions League winner for nothing, which is a great boost for the Italian team.
- Laia Aleixandri
- Free agent
- Barcelona: A
The City has lost a key and versatile player, who stepped up to take on the captaincy in the absence of Alex Greenwood. Part of City’s core leadership group, Aleixandri and Roord will be difficult to replace. But it’s a great signing for Barcelona, who lost Engen to OL Lyonnes.
- Iman Beney
- Amount not disclosed
- BSC YB Frauen: B-
- Man City: A-
A very exciting move for a young player. Beney, 18, was expected to join a better club, wanting to recover from her ACL injury with her old club before seeking a new challenge. City has positions to fill, and the young Swiss forward will bring some drive and hunger to the team. The fee City paid will also help Young Boys Frauen financially.
- Jade Rose
- Amount not disclosed
- Harvard University: C
- Man City: A+
Rose’s time at university was coming to an end and, after facing stiff competition from other WSL teams, City secured her signature. It’s a great move for a young and promising defender who is already rooted in the setup of the Canadian national team. The move covers a much-needed gap in City’s defense following the loss of Aleixandri, and the long-term development of the 22-year-old player will likely pay off.
- Livia Peng
- Amount not disclosed
- Werder Bremen: B
- Chelsea: C
Although Chelsea’s plan is to create a line of young talents over the next four years, it’s difficult to see where Peng fits into this. She is 22 years old and, as Chelsea have also signed 20-year-old Femke Liefting, and with academy graduate Katie Cox also in the books, Peng will struggle to play. She is unlikely to play in the first season, but it’s hard to see her getting into the team after that, with Hannah Hampton firmly holding the starting position and two young players also competing for a chance. Peng is competing for the number 1 spot with Elvira Herzog for the Swiss national team, and the lack of minutes with her new club will not help her case.
- Mara Alber
- Amount not disclosed
- Hoffenheim: B-
- Chelsea: B
Another young player who is part of Chelsea’s future planning, Alber is also unlikely to play much in her first season, but with time and a four-year contract, it’s easy to see her entering the lineup in a season or two. Although she is 19 years old, a loan move would be ideal to keep her progressing before she has the opportunity to shine in West London. Hoffenheim has lost a key player who would have been a shining star, although these less competitive clubs will struggle to fend off interest from the top European teams.
