Overview

• Olivia Smith signed a long-term contract with Arsenal for a record £1 million fee, surpassing the £900 000 Chelsea paid for Naomi Girma in January.
• The 19-year-old Canadian striker scored seven goals in 20 WSL appearances after joining Liverpool from Sporting CP for around £200 000 in July 2024.
• Arsenal, current Women’s Champions League holders, have added Smith to an attack featuring Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo.
• Liverpool plan to reinvest the proceeds from Smith’s sale into new signings and infrastructure improvements ahead of the next season.
• Despite rapid growth in transfer spending, fees in the women’s game remain far below the multimillion-pound sums common in men’s football.