Who are the most expensive signings in Women’s football? | OneFootball

Olivia Smith became the first £1 million women’s player after her world record transfer to Arsenal from Women’s Super League rivals Liverpool was confirmed on Thursday.

Smith’s move to the Gunners marks a historic day in the women’s game, and she now displaces Chelsea’s Naomi Girma at the top of the transfer table.

Seven of the previous ten top deals were completed in 2024, whilst Chelsea kicked off 2025 with two further additions to the list.

Keira Walsh is in the top ten twice, whilst Chelsea and Barcelona are the biggest spenders with both sides featuring three times.

HaytersTV go through the most expensive transfers in women’s football…

1. Olivia Smith – Liverpool to Arsenal: 2025 (€1.34 million)

The new record transfer, Smith only turned professional in 2023, before moving to Liverpool in 2024 for £200k from Portuguese side Sporting. But after seven goals in 20 Women’s Super League games in her debut season, the Canadian international has made the switch to north London.

2. Naomi Girma – San Diego Wave to Chelsea: 2025 (€1.05 million)

Girma joined Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January 2025, she was nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Player award in 2024 and was named in The Best FIFA Women’s XI. The 25-year-old won Olympic gold under former Blues boss Emma Hayes in 2024.

3. Racheal Kundananji – Madrid CFF to Bay FC: 2024 (€805k)

The Zambian international moved to Bay FC in February 2024 after scoring 35 goals in 46 appearances for Madrid CFF. However, the forward has struggled since moving to America, scoring only six times in 35 matches.

4. Barbra Banda – Shanghai Shengli to Orlando Pride: 2024 (€681k)

Banda’s move to Orlando Pride in 2024 has been nothing but a success with 25 goals in 39 matches after joining from Shanghai Shengli. Before her transfer, she was named African Women’s Footballer of the Year and was part of the FIFPRO World XI.

5. Keira Walsh – Barcelona to Chelsea: 2025 (€550k)

The first of her two appearances on this list. Walsh joined WSL Champions Chelsea at the end of the January transfer window in 2025 and was apart of the side that went on to lift the domestic treble during her first six months with the Blues.

6. Keira Walsh – Manchester City to Barcelona: 2022 (€470k)

Walsh moved to Barcelona in 2022 after eight years at Manchester City. The England international joined shortly before the September deadline and spent two-and-a-half-years in Spain before leaving for Chelsea in January 2025.

7. Priscila – SC Internacional to Club America: 2024 (€448k)

The 20-year-old signed for Mexican side Club America from Internacional in 2024 and scored 11 times in the 2024/25 season. She made her debut for Brazil in 2023, scoring once in her nine appearances.

8. Mayra Ramirez – Levante to Chelsea and Lena Oberdorf – Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich: 2024 (€450k)

Two players joint on this list, Mayra Ramirez joined Chelsea in 2024 from Spanish side Levante, with the Colombian scoring 15 times in 46 matches. Lena Oberdorf made the switch from Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich in the same year, with the 23-year-old currently out injured, subsequently missing Euro 2025.

9. Kika Nazareth – Benfica to Barcelona and Ewa Pajor – Wolfsburg to Barcelona: 2024 (€400k)

Kika Nazareth is one of Portugal’s brightest stars, and joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2024. She can play in midfield or the frontline. Another player to join Barcelona last summer was Polish international Ewa Pajor, scoring 43 goals in 46 games.