Grace Geyoro’s deadline day move to London City Lionesses broke the women’s soccer transfer fee record. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Prior to this summer, only one women’s soccer transfer had involved a nine-digit fee. But, in this window alone, as many as four players moved for sums in excess of $1 million, with three of them upping the record fee. The big question, then, is whether everyone got their money’s worth.
Grace Geyoro (Paris Saint-Germain to London City Lionesses, $1.9m)
After winning promotion to the English Super League for the very first time, London City Lionesses have certainly made their presence felt in the transfer market. The club ranks among the top spenders across the world this summer as they have looked to completely overhaul their squad with as many as 16 signings. They have brought in players from various top clubs including domestic rivals Arsenal, Spanish giants Barcelona, NWSL side Angel City and sister club OL Lyonnes, who are also owned by Michele Kang.
The Lionesses’ headline signing has to be considered Grace Geyoro, who left Paris Saint-Germain in a record-breaking deadline day deal. The French international is right up there with the very best midfielders in the world at the moment, and her all-round qualities will be of great value to the newly-promoted side. She is capable of playing in a deeper role where her defensive qualities and strength in duels stand out. At the same time, she does well going forward too as an excellent ball-carrier and intelligent mover in the final third.
The transfer fee certainly is a hefty sum for a player approaching the age of 30, but on the flip side, it is the sort of amount that a title-contender in a top league would naturally demand for a player of her caliber. London City Lionesses have made quite a statement in the transfer windowm so it is now time for them to back it up on the pitch.
Lizbeth Ovalle (Tigres to Orlando Pride, $1.5m)
Before all the deadline day drama, Lizbeth Ovalle’s $1.5m move from Tigres to the Orlando Pride reset the record transfer fee this summer. The 25-year-old winger had been a consistent standout in Mexico for Las Amazonas, so she was well-deserving of such a headline-making move.
Ovalle has six Liga MX Femenil titles to her name to go with a record of 133 goals in over 280 games for her previous club, and she has also netted over 20 times for the Mexican national team. A dynamic dribbler capable of playing on both wings, she has been nicknamed ‘La Maga’, meaning ‘The Magician’ in English. Watching her play should make it quite easy to see why, as she dazzles with the ball at her feet. Her excellent close control helps her wriggle out of tight spaces and burst past defenders, while her constant attacking intent makes her a real threat.
The Orlando Pride definitely need a player of her quality to step up at the moment after star forward Barbra Banda suffered a season-ending injury in late August. Although Ovalle was signed just days before that, her arrival could prove all the more important now.
Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC to Chelsea, ~$1.5m)
The most hotly discussed transfer of the summer has to be Alyssa Thompson’s move to Chelsea, which finally went through on deadline day. Although the Blues had been interested in the player for a while and she herself was said to be keen on the move, both Angel City FC and the NWSL’s reluctance to see her go led to the deal dragging into a bit of a saga.
There is little clarity on the fee even now, but estimates place it close to the $1.5m mark. The deal also includes some conditional add-ons, which could take the total transfer fee past Geyoro’s record if met. Even so, many Angel City fans and followers have expressed disappointment at that amount, suggesting that the club could have held out for more.
Transfer fee evaluation is never a straightforward task and not least so at a time of ever-increasing investment, but other summer deals do suggest that Chelsea should be pretty pleased with their business. While Thompson is not currently a better player than Geyoro or Ovalle, she is much younger at just 20 years old. Add to that the fact that she left Angel City at the very end of a mid-season window with a couple of years remaining on her contract, and the sum does start to seem to be on the lower side.
Either way, Chelsea’s squad is gaining a very exciting young talent. Thompson does have some work to do in terms of her end product, but she is a very tricky dribbler thanks to her incredible turn of speed, while her small stature helps her wriggle in and out of tight spaces. With support from some of the world’s top coaches and teammates, she definitely has the potential to grow into a superstar.
Olivia Smith (Liverpool to Arsenal, $1.36m)
Earlier on in the window, in what feels like a lifetime ago now, Arsenal broke the transfer record and the £1m barrier with their signing of Olivia Smith from Liverpool.
Her journey to that point was quite unique. Born in Canada, she entered the collegiate system in the United States after turning 18, but dropped out after just a year to pursue a professional contract in the top regional league in Ontario. A standout season there earned her a move to Portuguese side Sporting CP, for whom she instantly impressed as well. Another season later, Liverpool signed her for a club-record fee, though she ended up moving on for five times that amount after another standout season in a new league.
Moving to the European champions, Smith will find herself in a different environment where she will not necessarily be the centerpiece of the attack. She has shown more than enough intelligence and link-up play ability to suggest that she can seamlessly transition into that role as well, while her top-notch ball-striking and movement will maintain her serious goal threat. The Canadian international undoubtedly has the potential to add another dimension to Arsenal’s attack.