Yan Nigeria
Canadian Star Olivia Smith has officially become the most expensive player in the history of women’s football, sealing a groundbreaking £1 million transfer to Arsenal from Liverpool.
Olivia Smith’s transfer deal surpasses the previous record held by USA defender Naomi Girma, who joined Chelsea for £900,000 from San Diego Wave earlier this year.
The Champions League-winning Gunners wasted no time in securing Smith’s services with a four-year deal, marking a bold statement of intent from Arsenal as they prepare for another assault on both domestic and European glory.
“It’s a privilege and an honour to sign for Arsenal,” said 20-year-old Smith. “It’s my dream to compete for the biggest titles here in England and in Europe, and I’m excited to get started and contribute to doing that here with Arsenal.”
Her journey to this milestone has been meteoric. Smith made her international debut for Canada at just 15, turned professional in 2023, and joined Liverpool from Sporting Lisbon for over £200,000, a club record at the time.
In her debut Women’s Super League season, she netted seven goals in 20 appearances, becoming a rare bright spark in a struggling Liverpool side that finished seventh.
Her combination of pace, technique, and vision caught the eye of Arsenal’s scouting team early, and the club moved swiftly to beat off strong competition from European rivals.
Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers said: “Olivia is an exciting young player with incredible potential. She’s already shown her class in the WSL and on the international stage, and I believe she can make a big contribution to our squad.”
To put Smith’s transfer into perspective, note that Trevor Francis became the first male footballer to break the £1 million barrier 46 years ago when he signed for Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in 1979.
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