Smith seals world-record move to Arsenal

Olivia Smith has completed a world-record transfer from Liverpool to Arsenal.

Smith joins the Gunners in a deal reportedly worth £1m, making her the most expensive player in the women's game.

It surpasses the previous record fee set by Chelsea when they signed United States defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave for £900,000.

The 20-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the European champions.

"It's a privilege and an honour to sign for Arsenal," said Smith. 

"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."

Smith joined Liverpool from Sporting CP in July 2024 for a reported club-record fee of €250,000 (£212,000).

The attacker scored seven goals in the Women's Super League in her debut season, contributing a third of Liverpool's haul for the campaign.

She outperformed her team-high figure of 4.4 expected goals (xG) by 2.6, giving her the best xG overperformance of any player in the Reds' squad.

Smith is also the youngest player ever to debut for Canada, making her first appearance for the national side at 15 years and 94 days old. She has since made 18 appearances for her country.

Arsenal boss Renee 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."