Women’s Super League January transfer window – round-up of top-flight moves including at Chelsea and Man Utd
THE January transfer window is well and truly shut with 28 WSL deals sealed including deadline day arrivals at Tottenham, West Ham and Bristol City.
And it has been a busy month in the Women’s Championship with Leicester City, Charlton and Coventry United among the sides strengthening their ranks.
The 2021 winter transfer window for the Women's Super League closed at 5:00 pm on January 28 for domestic deals and midnight on January 29 for signings from abroad.
WSL DEADLINE DAY SIGNINGS
TOTTENHAM
Cho So-Hyun has given Tottenham a midfield boost by sealing a deadline day loan switch from London rivals West Ham.
The midfield ace, who made 33 Hammers appearances after joining the Irons in January 2019, could be in contention for a starting spot when Spurs face Chelsea.
Cho, 32, who scored the penalty that sent Hammers through the 2019 Women’s FA Cup Final, is one of South Korea’s most celebrated players.
And the playmaker, who captains her national team, holds the record for the most caps for South Korea with 126.
Spurs say Cho’s loan will run until the end of the season with the option to make the move permanent.
WEST HAM
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir has become West Ham’s second signing under new boss Olli Harder after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year move.
The lifelong Irons fan sealed her dream switch following a stint with Icelandic Super Cup winners Selfloss from 2019 to 2021.
The midfielder – capped 90 times by Iceland – played 53 times for US club Portland Thorns from 2016 to 2019.
And the former Bayern Munich player, 29, has scored 28 times for her country.
Her move follows Emily van Egmond a permanent switch to the Irons from Orlando Pride.
BRISTOL CITY
The Robins have waved goodbye to Australia ace Chloe Logarzo who netted four goals in eight appearances after joining on a one-and-half-year deal in 2020.
The Matildas ace, 26, is joining Scotland skipper Rachel Corsie at National Women’s Soccer League side Kansas City for an undisclosed fee.
Meanwhile, Matt Beard’s side, who will play Brighton, have been boosted by their loan signings of Reading centre-back Kiera Skeels, and Everton playmaker Molly Pike who is 20.
Both players are due to remain with the club until the end of 2019-20 season.
FOUR OF THE BIGGEST MOVES
Abby Dahlkemper to Manchester City
Gareth Taylor’s side made a huge statement of intent by landing Abby Dahlkemper on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
The USA defender played in every single one of the USA’s matches in the run-up to their 2019 World Cup triumph in France.
Dahlkemper, 27, is the third big-name US star to join City following the signings of Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle.
And the centre-back’s old club North Carolina Courage have made headlines with tennis star Naomi Osaka becoming their newest investor.
Jill Scott to Everton
Jill Scott, 33, made a fairytale return to the Toffees from Manchester City following her first spell with the Merseyside outfit from 2006 to 2013.
The England veteran, who made two starts for parent club City, sealed a temporary switch until the end of the season in search of more game time.
Scott’s move preceded Toffees’ loan swoop for Hammers star Alisha Lehmann.
The midfielder's move is seen as another sign of the ambition of Willie Kirk’s fifth-place side, who are targeting Champions League qualification.
Mana Iwabuchi to Aston Villa
Mana Iwabuchi has been making waves with her quality performances for Aston Villa following her January arrival at the club.
The Japan ace, who won the World Cup in 2011, confirmed her loan move to Villans back in December.
The forward, 27, registered her first WSL goal during her club’s 2-2 draw against Reading earlier this month.
And head coach Gemma Davies believes Iwabuchi could give the relegation-battling Villans more firepower up top.
The club have scored just six goals in 11 WSL games.
Davies said: “Moving forward I think she can fill a void where we’ve been lacking.”
WSL Transfer Moves
Arsenal
Anna Patten (Defender) – From Florida State University
Aston Villa
Mana Iwabuchi (Striker/playmaker) – Loan from INAC Kobe Leonessa
Birmingham City
Veatrika Sarri (Forward) – From Sheffield United
Ruesha Littlejohn (Striker) – From Leicester City
Emily Murphy (Forward) – Loan from Chelsea
Out – Destiney Toussaint (Defender) – Moved to Coventry City from Birmingham
Brighton and Hove Albion
Out – Denise O' Sullivan (Midfielder) – Ended loan to return to North Carolina Courage
Bristol City
Kiera Skeels (Centre-back) Loan from Reading
Molly Pike (Attacking midfielder) Loan from Everton
Chelsea
Zecira Musovic (Goalkeeper) – from FC Rosengard
Everton
Jill Scott (Midfielder/defender) – Loan from Manchester City
Alisha Lehmann (Forward) – Loan from West Ham
Out – Damaris Egurrola (Midfielder) – Transfer to Lyon
Manchester United
Maria Thorisdottir (Centre-back) – From Chelsea
Out –Lotta Okvist (Full-back) – Transfer to Göteborg FC
Manchester City
Abby Dahlkemper (Defender) – From the North Carolina Courage
Reading
Emma Harries (Midfielder)- Royals academy starlet signed a two-and-a-half-year deal which is her first professional contract.
Out – Sophie Quirk (Forward) – Moved to London Bees from the Royals
Tottenham
Cho So-Hyun (Playmaker) – Loan from West Ham
Shelina Zadorsky (Defender) – From Orlando Pride
Alanna Kennedy (Defender/midfielder) – From Orlando Pride
Abbie McManus (Defender) – loan from Manchester United
Out – Alex Morgan (Forward) – Returned to Orlando Pride
West Ham
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Midfielder) – From Selfloss
Emily van Egmond (Midfielder) – From Orlando Pride
Out – Rachel Daly (Forward) – Ended Hammers loan to return to Houston Dash
Out – Ruby Grant (Midfielder) – Moved to University of North Carolina
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