Everton Women joined their male counterparts on nine summer signings upon securing the signature of exciting midfielder Ruby Mace, who joins the Blues on a three-year deal from Leicester City for a club-record fee.
The 21-year-old England international has swapped the Foxes for the Toffees, in what is exciting times for Brian Sorensen’s side, ahead of their historic inaugural campaign at Goodison Park.
And with the club’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, willing to back both the men and women on and off
the field, Royal Blue Mersey takes a look at what has been an exciting – and busy – summer for Sorensen and the recruitment team.
The Arrivals
With injuries often playing a detrimental part in Sorensen’s tenure, it will have been refreshing for the fans to see new faces arriving early.
First through the door was Netherlands Under-23 midfielder Rosa van Gool following the expiry of her contract with Ajax Amsterdam, who was soon joined by promising winger Ornella Vignola from Liga F side Granada.
Then came signing number three, and the first of what was to be a recurring link between Everton and the Japan national team. Centre-back Rion Ishikawa arrived from Urawa Red Diamonds to domestically link up with fellow international teammate Honoka Hayashi, both of whom were part of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup winning squad.
The Blues continued to look towards the Land of the Rising Sun by securing the signatures of Hikaru Kitagawa and Yuka Momiki from BK Häcken and Leicester, respectively. The former being touted as a replacement for Everton’s most high-profiled playing departure, but more on the outgoings later.
It would arguably be Martina Fernandez re-joining the club on a permanent deal from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee that would be the window’s most well received signing of the summer. The 20-year-old enjoyed a hugely-impressive loan campaign earlier this year, a tenure which saw her named Everton’s Young Player of the Season.
Aston Villa forward Katie Robinson followed in a loan move that comes with an option to buy, and was joined by full-back Maz Pacheco, who signed for the Toffees following the expiry of her contract with the Midlands’ club.
And with all the business looking done and dusted, Sorensen left it late to break Everton Women’s transfer record when he again targeted the Midlands to secure the services of Mace, who will be part of arguably Sorensen’s most competitive squad to date.
The Departures
Fringe players Rikke Madsen, Karoline Olesen, Maren Mjelde and Lauren Thomas, said their goodbyes upon completion of their contracts, and were joined by Justine Vanhaevermaet and Heather Payne, as part of a major squad shake-up.
But it was the announcement of Sara Holmgaard bidding farewell that will have concerned fans, who have grown used to at least one big name leaving during a transfer window.
Establishing the left-back position as her own, 26-year-old Holmgaard made 19 appearances in the WSL last season, scoring three goals and registering four assists, mostly for her twin sister and still current Toffee, Karen.
Two more left Everton in the shape Veatriki Sarri, who completed a permanent transfer to Birmingham City, and Melissa Lawley, who has joined Burnley on a season-long loan.
New Deals
With ins and outs aplenty during the summer months, Sorensen did a fair bit of housekeeping by offering new deals to midfielder Clare Wheeler, and young defender Kenzie Weir.
Also putting pen to paper in agreeing contract extensions with the Toffees were Kelly Gago, Lucy Hope and Aurora Galli, with the latter enjoying full fitness again after sustaining an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury on the opening day of last season and hoping her one-year extension will be injury free.
Scottish international Hope also signed for one year, but will not see much in the way of on-field action following the announcement that she is expecting her first child.
Gago’s new deal has seen the French international commit to Goodison until June 2028, with the forward’s link-up play alongside Katja Snoeijs and Toni Payne catching the eye during the 2024/25 season, and the 26-year-old will more than likely be Everton’s main source of goals in the coming campaign.
With the comings and goings at Everton Women ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, what are your ambitions and expectations for Sorensen’s side?
Let us know in the comments below.
Ahead of the start of the WSL Season, Everton Women’s new CEO Hannah Forshaw has sent a message to Everton fans to preview the season and outline the pride of Everton Women playing at Goodison Park.
It is with great excitement and anticipation that I write to you for the first time in my role as CEO of Everton Women.
Sunday marks the start of the most significant WSL season in the history of our Club. And what a way to start.
The short journey to Anfield for a Merseyside derby against Liverpool is a thrilling opening game.
We go there with nine exciting additions to Brian Sørensen’s squad, with the most recent signing that of Lioness Ruby Mace for a Club-record fee from Leicester City earlier this week.
Securing the talents of one of the most exciting young players in the English game is a demonstration of the great support and backing that has been provided to the Club by our ownership.
Alongside Ruby, we welcome the signings of international Under-23 stars in the Netherlands’ Rosa van Gool and Spain’s Ornella Vignola and Martina Fernandez, our new Japanese international trio of Rion Ishikawa, Hikaru Kitagawa and Yuka Momiki, Phillipines international Maz Pacheco and England international Katie Robinson.
They are impressive additions to a squad we feel is befitting of this most significant of moments in our Club’s history – our first season at our new Goodison Park home.
The journey we are embarking on is one we cannot take without you. We have incredible respect for the history of Goodison. It is more than bricks and mortar. It is a building with a soul that holds so many memories for so many people in our city and across the world.
We want to respect that history, whilst embracing the opportunity to make it our home – your home. To do that, your support for the team, the feedback I am keen for you to share with us throughout the season and the part you have to play in the future we are building together is something for which I was keen to express my gratitude.
When we play our first WSL game at The Grand Old Lady against Tottenham on September 14, the new branding inside and outside the stadium, and the banners and flags that fans will display in the stands, will make it clear it is a new era. A new dawn. But it isn’t the end of the journey. It is the start.
In the weeks, months and years ahead we can create something special – something unique. Something befitting of Goodison and Everton’s rich history. But also something new.
We want to evolve Goodison – and attract even more new fans to Everton and women’s football. That means shaping experiences and rituals that will become part of Goodison’s new-look matchdays.
We have bold ambitions for our new home, and for the season ahead both in the WSL and in the cup competitions.
That starts at Anfield and Goodison over the next two weeks.
Thank you for being with us at the start of that journey. And thank you for the future we can build together.
Hannah Forshaw
CEO of Everton Women
