Football club Arsenal secures Canadian star Olivia Smith in a record-breaking transfer agreement worldwide
In a groundbreaking move, Arsenal FC has signed Canadian forward Olivia Smith for a world-record transfer fee of £1 million ($1.34 million), making her the most expensive player in women's soccer history. This transfer eclipses the previous record set by Chelsea's acquisition of Naomi Girma for £890,000 ($1.1 million) earlier in 2025.
The 20-year-old prodigy from Whitby, Ont., developed in the United States college system before joining Sporting Clube in Portugal in 2023. Her impressive performances caught the attention of Arsenal's head coach, Renee Slegers, who believes Smith can make a significant contribution to the team.
Smith, who made her international debut for Canada at just 15 years old in 2019, has already made a name for herself in the women's soccer world. She has three goals and three assists in 18 senior appearances for Canada and scored nine goals in 25 games for Liverpool FC Women's team last year. In her debut season with Sporting Clube, she netted an impressive 16 goals in 28 appearances.
Arsenal, a 15-time English champion, is known for its success in women's soccer. However, despite being the dominant force in England, they are the only English team to have won the Champions League, achieving this feat last season for the second time in their history.
The record-breaking transfer of Olivia Smith highlights the increasing investment in women's soccer, with transfer records regularly being broken. England's Keira Walsh left Manchester City for Barcelona in 2022 for a deal worth $513,000, and Chelsea broke the record again in 2024 when signing Mayra Ramirez from Levante for $542,000.
Smith's four-year deal with Arsenal is a testament to her potential and the faith the club has in her abilities. She expressed her excitement to compete for the biggest titles in England and Europe with Arsenal. With her exceptional talent and Arsenal's reputation for success, fans are eager to see what the future holds for this exciting partnership.
Under the fresh light of this significant investment in women's soccer, Olivia Smith's impressive football skills are expected to shine at Arsenal, a renowned English club dominating the sport. A 16-goal scorer in her debut season with Sporting Clube, Smith is poised to make a considerable impact on Arsenal's soccer field.
