London City Lionesses have broken the world record for a women’s football transfer by signing the France midfielder Grace Geyoro from Paris Saint-Germain for €1.65m (£1.43m), the Guardian understands.
The deal is believed to have gone to the wire on Thursday but was completed before the Women’s Super League’s transfer window closed at 11pm BST and the 28-year-old has become the third player to break the world record in the women’s game in less than two months.
It follows Olivia Smith’s £1m move to Arsenal in mid-July, the first that broke the £1m barrier, and Lizbeth Ovalle’s $1.5m (£1.1m) transfer to the American club Orlando Pride. London City Lionesses are flexing their muscles in the transfer market thanks to the spending power available to them through their owner, Michele Kang. The American businesswoman also owns the French champions OL Lyonnes and the NWSL side Washington Spirit.
London City have made a flurry of big-name signings during this first window since their promotion from the second tier, adding the Netherlands midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk, the England forward Nikita Parris and, on Thursday, the Spain youth international winger Lucía Corrales, for a fee understood to be €500,000.
London City are trying to disrupt the established order in the women’s game. Based in Kent, they are the first fully independent club to reach the WSL.
PSG said of Geyoro: “Paris Saint-Germain salutes Grace Geyoro’s exemplary career with the club. An iconic figure in the women’s team, she has left an indelible mark on the history of the Red and Blue. The club extends its sincere thanks and wishes her the best for the rest of her career.”
Alessia Russo has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal on the eve of their WSL opener against London City at the Emirates Stadium. The forward, a European champion for club and country, has scored 36 goals in 72 games for Arsenal since joining from Manchester United in 2023.
Last season Russo jointly claimed the WSL’s Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw, with 12 goals, and was named the Football Writers’ Association’s women’s footballer of the year and shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or.
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“Arsenal feels like home,” the 26-year-old said. “This is such a special club and it has felt that way to me from the moment I joined.” The manager, Renée Slegers, said: “She’s a selfless player, working so hard for the team, and she also contributes so much to our team culture.”
