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There were a host of big women’s football transfers which were hard to miss across June and July, despite the dominance of the men’s World Cup. Among them were Beth Mead’s move from Arsenal to Manchester City, Mary Earps and Georgia Stanway returning to the Women’s Super League with London City Lionesses and Arsenal, Sam Kerr leaving Chelsea to return to Gotham FC and, most prominently, Alexia Putellas’s game-changing switch from Barcelona to London City.
But here are 10 transfers you might have missed while attention was focused on the action in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Alexandra Popp to Borussia Dortmund
The three-time Champions League winner Alex Popp may be reaching the twilight of her playing career but her move to Borussia Dortmund, signing a three-year contract at the tier-three club, after 14 years with Wolfsburg shows she is not quite ready to hang up her boots. The 35-year-old has been prolific for club and country, scoring 112 goals in 219 games for Wolfsburg and 67 goals in 145 games for Germany prior to her international retirement in 2024. A Borussia Dortmund fan whose “heart beats for this club”, Popp couldn’t pass up the opportunity to assist the development of the women’s team, which was launched in 2020.
Kirsty Hanson to Tottenham
The 28-year-old was a top target for Spurs after a phenomenal fourth season at Aston Villa. Last year Hanson said she was working on adding more goals to her game – come the end of last season she was the third-highest top scorer in the WSL, finishing on 12 in 22 games, which was 43% of Villa’s total tally and only one goal behind second-place Alessia Russo. She heads to a focused Tottenham who are giving their manager, Martin Ho, the tools to push closer to, or even break into, the top four.
Ally Sentnor to Angel City
Sentnor, who was the first overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft, was the subject of a blockbuster $850,000 (£635,000) trade between Kansas City Current and Angel City on 19 June. She then made her debut for her new side on 3 July, starting a 2-0 win against Orlando Pride. The USA women’s national team player has scored seven goals and provided three assists in 23 international games and, at just 22 years old, has a lot of football ahead of her.
Felicia Schröder to Real Madrid
Many clubs were circling but in the end Felicia Schröder completed a big-money move from Häcken to Real Madrid. Multiple Swedish outlets reported the deal for the 19-year-old forward was worth over 15m Swedish kronor (£1.15m). She attracted attention from across the world as she racked up 91 goals in 128 games for Häcken and starred in Uefa’s inaugural women’s Europa Cup competition, finishing as top scorer with eight goals, four of which came in the two-legged final against Hammarby.
Manaka Matsukubo to Chelsea
The versatile 21-year-old, who can play as a forward or attacking midfielder, joined Chelsea from North Carolina Courage for an undisclosed fee but, as one of the most exciting young talents in the women’s game, it’s unlikely she came cheap. The Japan international scored 11 goals, became the youngest NWSL player to score a hat-trick, and was named NWSL midfielder of the year in 2025. She was up to five goals in nine games in the 2026 season before Chelsea swooped earlier this month.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to OL Lyonnes
The 29-year-old won three league titles, two FA Cups and two League Cups with Chelsea, including a domestic treble in . Rytting Kaneryd is one of several attacking players to leave Chelsea this summer with Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten and Catarina Macario also having departed as they revamp their front line in an effort to reclaim their WSL crown after Manchester City ended their six-year title-winning run.
Noémie Mouchon to Everton
The loss of the forward Kelly Gago, who has signed for West Ham, has been tempered a little by the arrival of the French striker Noémie Mouchon from Leicester. Mouchon did not have the easiest time at Leicester after arriving from Reims with expectations high. The 23-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury one month into her first season in the WSL and was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. She made 16 appearances and scored two goals in the WSL last season but made only two starts. Everton will be hoping she can find the form that helped her to nine goals in 22 games for Reims in the 2023-24 season.
Denise O’Sullivan to Gotham (on loan)
The influential Republic of Ireland midfielder returns to the NWSL with Gotham after six months with Liverpool. The 32-year-old spent 10 seasons in the US before her January move to Liverpool, with Houston Dash and North Carolina Courage (albeit with a number of loan spells in Australia and England). She won the NWSL Shield in 2017 and again in 2018 and 2019 when Courage also secured the NWSL Championship, with O’Sullivan named the side’s MVP in both years. She has 22 goals in 132 games for Ireland.
Bethany England to Crystal Palace
Bethany England’s Tottenham departure was mourned by fans, with the former Chelsea forward having become the team’s record goalscorer in the WSL with 32 in three-and-a-half seasons, helping them to a first FA Cup final in 2024. The 32-year-old has signed a two-year contract with Crystal Palace, who earned promotion back into the top flight with a second-place finish in WSL2. After four WSL titles, two FA Cups and two League Cups with Chelsea, England brings a wealth of experience to Palace.
Kadidiatou Diani to London City Lionesses
The arrival of Alexia Putellas and Mary Earps has dominated the London City Lionesses transfer talk, while the acquisition of the France forward Kadidiatou Diani from Lyonnes for more than £500,000 has flown somewhat under the radar. The 31-year-old scored 41 goals in 93 games in three seasons for the Champions League giants following her stunning 92 goals in 168 games for Paris Saint-Germain. Michelle Kang, who owns both London City and Lyonnes, will be hoping she brings that edge up front to the ambitious WSL side. They finished sixth last season, their debut campaign in the top flight, nine points behind Tottenham, but they want more and are spending big to make progress.
