Marc Skinner Says Women’s Soccer Must Avoid Transfer Market Wild West

LEIGH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Marc Skinner, Manager of Manchester United speaks to his side during a team huddle following the Pre-Season Friendly match between Manchester United and Liverpool Women at Leigh Sports Village on August 20, 2025 in Leigh, England. (Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Manchester United via Getty Images

In a summer when the club have come under scrutiny for their failure to sign players, Manchester United coach Marc Skinner says the market needs to avoid a “wild west”.

Over the last couple of months, the women’s game has seen its first two transfers which have involved fees of over a million pounds with the moves of Olivia Smith from Liverpool to Arsenal and Jacqueline Ovalle from Tigres to Orlando Pride.

Against that backdrop, Manchester United have only signed two players in this summer window, disappointing fans who hoped their qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League would enable them to spend big to strengthen their squad to compete in Europe.

Tomorrow, Manchster United play their first game of a season extended by the necessity to play qualifying matches for the Champions League. While stressing that, with a week before the deadline of the summer transfer window still to go, Manchester United are seeking to recruit more players, Skinner admitted that the spiralling transfer fees have made it much more difficult for the club to close deals.

“I’ll be clear, we’re living in crazy times, right? We’ve had the first and second million pound transfers around the globe. So what everyone will probably be doing – and I think you’ll probably admit – (the transfer market) has been a little slower this season. Now valuations are going crazy.”

“Really, it’s about getting value, I think, in the market. I don’t think it’s about spending crazy money, I think it’s about getting the right people at the right value. Because otherwise, we’re just going to create the wild west transfer market and it will be great for fans to watch but I don’t think it’s sustainable in my opinion.”

The club have been linked to the RB Leipzig forward Giovanna Hoffman who impressed for Germany as a lone forward during UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 but Skinner – while confirming the club’s interest in her – conceded the deal is now unlikely to happen.

“We need to bring a forward in during this window, potentially two. I’m probably looking for two players in this window still, while we’ve got time left. Giovanna was one of those players that we looked at. I don’t think right now, with the valuation, that we’re meeting in the middle. Right now, that’s doesn’t look like something that can happen. Again, I must stress, we’re looking in those forward areas, so we have an array of options and people we are looking at.”

Manchester United have brought in two Swedish internationals – Fridolina Rolfö, who was a free agent after the expiry of her contract at FC Barcelona, and Julia Zigiotti Olme, who had one year left on her contract at FC Bayern. Rolfö will be unavailable for this week’s Champions League games but her versatililty will add depth to the squad in a number of positions.

Despite occasionally being used as a left-sided defender by Barcelona, Skinner told me he primarily sees her as an attacking weapon. “We have fantastic defensive specialists on the left-hand side and good depth there. What we had over the past few seasons, Leah Galton had be to slogged every game and Melvine Malard does a great job when she goes out there, but it’s a slightly different variation for us.”

“Actually Frido’s just here to come out on the left-hand side and use that attacking prowess. I think she has not only the quality with the ball, but off the ball as well to do exactly what we want of her. We see her as an attacking threat and someone we are looking forward to unleashing on the league.”

“I actually really love the two players that we’ve brought in so far. Julia will add a different dimension in midfield for us. She has the ability, not only physically, but in her brain to play, to move the midfield. At times, we could have been a little bit static, so she’ll be able to move our shape a lot more fluidly. Obviously Frido’s a world-class player too.”

Skinner is likely to be without four players for tomorrow’s game. “Frido is probably going to miss two or three weeks, yet. She had a little niggle going into the Euros. Obviously she forced that through to play, but we want to make sure she’s right so that she hits the ground running for the whole of the season. So we’re just putting her in a good space, we’ve done that with many players that have come from overseas, to make sure that they’re ready for the WSL.”

“Rachel Williams is out, currently injured, and is probably about two or three weeks away. Leah (Galton) currently has a little niggle, so again, probably two or three weeks away. Grace (Clinton), we’re going to monitor and see how she is, coming back off the Euros she has, again, just a little niggle that we’re managing, but apart from that, everybody else is healthy, fit and ready to go.”

Skinner also denied any knowledge of any interest in Clinton from cross-town rivals Manchester City. “Right now, I’ve not been told anything of the sort. I’m sure there are people interested in Grace because she’s a fantastic footballer. The club haven’t told me anything about that so, as I am now, I am preparing for the Champions League tomorrow and Grace is progressing nicely to be part of our squad going forwards.”