Arsenal have agreed a world-record fee of £1m to sign Canada forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool, making the 20-year-old the first women's player to break the seven-figure transfer barrier. The deal surpasses the $1.1m (£880,000) Chelsea paid for USA defender Naomi Girma in January.
Smith scored seven goals in 20 Women's Super League appearances for Liverpool last season, accounting for nearly a third of the team's league goals. The versatile attacker, who can play as a winger or central striker, joined Liverpool from Sporting Lisbon in July 2024 for a club-record fee of just over £200,000.
Liverpool initially rejected several offers for Smith, who has multiple years left on her contract, but Arsenal's substantial bid proved irresistible. The Merseyside club are set to receive five times what they paid for Smith just 12 months ago.
Arsenal, fresh from winning the Women's Champions League, have also signed Chloe Kelly and Taylor Hinds on free transfers, but Smith represents a far bigger investment as they look to build on their success.
