Olivia Smith transfer: Who is Arsenal’s new forward and why did she cost a record-breaking £1m? | Football News

Olivia Smith is a relatively new name on the stage of the female Super League. Liverpool fans could be familiar, and those who follow sport in Portugal could also be aware. But, in general, he is not a player with a superstar status. All of this is about to change.

Olivia Smith. Remember. The Canadian striker is about to become the most spoken player on the circuit.

The 20 -year -old, who only became a professional in 2023, became the first player to order transfer fees of 1 million sterling pounds, signing Arsenal de Liverpool in a case that finally a highly anticipated glass ceiling.

This is a change that will arouse major titles. A moment marked for the female game and long in the making. The observers, reasonably, will wonder why it took so long to arrive here, 46 years after the first British male footballer of 1 million pounds Sterling, Trevor Francis, was signed by Nottingham Forest.

But this investigation would only harm the more relevant and intriguing curiosities. Smith is not (yet) a familiar name. It is not synonymous with Aitana Bonmatis or Sam Kerrs of this world. His WSL career has only 1,578 minutes.

How and why, then, did arsenal splashed as much money to sign it? And does this development change a real game? Sky Sports Immersed in the remarkable story of Smith and what Gunners’ movement is large for WSL rivals.

Who is Smith?

Liverpool broke the bank to sign Smith, born and raised in the Canadian province of Ontario, Sporting last summer.

She had made her breakthrough in Portugal, marking and helping her debut on the Liga BPI before contributing 13 goals in 18 appearances.

But the teenager was more than a scorer. Without fear and raw, Smith was identified as an attacker who could dribble, wear, create and help. She has energy and rhythm to burn. On the ball, she is progressive, out of possession, she presses and wins duels. What cannot like?

Liverpool has seen an opportunity. In July 2024, they separated from club record fees of £ 210,000 to bring it to the WSL – and recovered almost five times this figure 12 months later. Smart business.

Smith was one of the strengths of the otherly disappointing season of Liverpool. She quickly proved that she was also a player for the great moments, marking in victory against Manchester United in Anfield and the drop in arsenal in FA Cup. Something about this display clearly attracted the eye. And it will only improve surrounded by better players.

Arsenal power game

Discard, Chelsea. Arsenal makes movements.

The importance of becoming the first female team to sign a player for 1 million pounds sterling should not be underestimated. These are prestige and status as much as the addition of a young person with world -class potential.

The most surprising thing about this breakthrough is perhaps less the costs, or the player the commander (a high potential costs a lot of money), but the club that does it.

Arsenal makes their intentions known. It’s a pressure. A shakedown.

To beat Chelsea to the feat, to please the board of the endless club. At the national level, they have been in the shadow of their western London rivals for years now, allowing them to win six consecutive WSL titles when they accumulated only two league cups. Over the achievements, the two are incomparable.

But under Renee Slegers, Arsenal is embraced. They dared to dream of the medal of another European winner (still the only English club to win the competition) and did it. It is incredible what a champions League title can do for reputation and rank. Such a signature of declaration only adds to their recent air of victory.

The expenses of January changing the Chelsea market – to buy Naomi Girma and Keira Walsh for a combined total of 1.29 million pounds Sterling – Left clubs wondering how they can compete. This expenditure represented 70% of the English market and more than a quarter (28%) of the money spent worldwide in this window.

Arsenal is the first to offer a real answer. They want an appropriate seat at the table.

Ok, so where was Smith?

Smith is versatile and can play as a central attacker, no 10 or wide. It is perfectly suited to the expansive style of Arsenal. Only four WSL players attempted more shots last season: Khadija Shaw (52), Frida Maanum (57), Elisabeth Terland (65) and Alessia Russo (73).

But its ball transport capacity is what is the most distinctive and the most exciting.

Last season, only Russo (21) recorded more fire races than Smith (20), while she also ranked fifth for progressive races among all attackers and wingers. Of the 10 most prolific players for the catches, it had the best success rate at 57.4%.

And it is just as difficult to move – only Viviane Asseyi (51) pulled more faults than the total of Smith 46. Its 21 possessions won in the third rows attacking the seventh best in the league.

And yet Smith puts an obvious dilemma with diapers. Not to mention the weight of world record costs on young shoulders. A price of 1 million sterling pounds is surely undesirable for a relatively inexperienced 20 year old man?

Perhaps more restrictive for Slegers, however, is that Smith could move. She played 62% of the championship minutes in role no. 9 last season, but the dislocation of Russo is unlikely. Right wing? Chloé Kelly and Beth Mead dominate there.

Such a high investment parked on the bench could also be a problem.

In the end, if Arsenal wants to beat Chelsea to the WSL Crown of next year, clearly, they need a team depth capable of challenging several fronts. Can this be the start of a mission to fill the gap at the top? It certainly helps. But don’t be surprised to see the Chelsea champions answer in kind.