Canada’s Olivia Smith Joins Arsenal Women For World Record Transfer Fee

Canada’s 20-year-old forward Olivia Smith is now the most expensive female soccer player in the world joining European champions Arsenal from Liverpool for $1.3 million.

Smith succeeds Naomi Girma ($1.1 million) as the most expensive female player in the world. She is the first Canadian in the men’s or women’s game to move for a world record transfer fee. It is also the first world record transfer in the women’s game between two clubs from the same country for 24 years.

On completing her move, Smith said “it’s a privilege and an honor to sign for Arsenal. 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. The atmosphere the supporters create at Emirates Stadium is incredible and I can’t wait to have that behind me now.”

Arsenal stated that they have signed Smith for “an undisclosed fee”. It is however been widely reported that they have paid in excess of the $1.1 million paid to San Diego Wave by Chelsea for the United States defender Girma in January. It is understood that Smith has signed a four-year contract at Arsenal.

Smith is by far the youngest female player to move for a world record transfer fee. The last player in the game’s history to move in a world record transfer at a younger age was the legendary Brazilian Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima when he left PSV Eindhoven for FC Barcelona aged 19 years, 10 months.

In 2019, Smith became the youngest ever player to represent the Canadian national team aged 15 years and 94 days. She appeared at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup at 18 years of age. She has uniquely won the award for the Canadian Youth Player of the Year five years apart in 2019 and 2024.

After signing for Liverpool, the rapier striker impressed on her debut season in the Women’s Super League. She started 24 games and scored seven league goals and nine in all competitions. Smith ended as the club’s leading goalscorer. She also became the first Liverpool Women’s player to score a goal at the club’s legendary Anfield stadium.

Having joined Liverpool from Sporting Clube de Portugal for a transfer fee of $269,000 just over a year ago, Smith has set another record. She is now the leading player in terms of accumulated transfer fees in the history of the women’s game with those two moves amounting to $1.4 million surpassing the $1.1 million paid for Keira Walsh during the course of her career.

All of the rest of the top ten fees in the women’s game have involved international transfers. The big-money move by Smith between two Women’s Super League clubs is unusual. It is four times the previous record between two English clubs set when Bethany England left Chelsea moving to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of $300,000 in January 2023.

Arsenal’s Director of Women’s Football, Clare Wheatley admitted “we’re thrilled to bring Olivia to Arsenal. She’s one of the most talented young players in the game and has huge potential for further development here at the club. On behalf of everyone at Arsenal, I’d like to welcome Olivia to Arsenal and congratulate her on this special moment.”

Having already tied Chloe Kelly and Jessie Gale to permanent contacts this summer, Arsenal now have eleven forwards in their senior squad including the stars of the England (Alessia Russo), Spain (Mariona Caldentey) and Sweden (Stina Blackstenius) national teams still competing at the UEFA Women’s Euro.

This compares to the eight international forwards in the Chelsea squad who Arsenal will be aiming to topple in the Women’s Super League after their six years of domestic dominance. Finding a regular starting position for Smith will be a challenge. Nonetheless Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers said “Olivia is an exciting young player and we believe she can make a big contribution here at Arsenal.”

“We’ve been impressed by her mentality and character, excelling in two European leagues at such a young age. I know she has a level of ambition that matches our own and we’re looking forward to working with her as she continues to grow at the club.”

Smith will wear the number 15 jersey which was, until last season, worn by fans’ favorite Katie McCabe, who now wears the number 11 shirt. The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.