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Liverpool Women's player Olivia Smith,at Anfield.(Andrew Teebay).

It has been a busy summer transfer window so far at Liverpool Football Club.

But it’s been a slightly different story for Liverpool FC Women, who have been going through a period of uncertainty since the end of the season.

The Reds, who remain without a permanent manager after Matt Beard’s dismissal in February - though they are reportedly in talks with Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor - are yet to add to their ranks this summer.



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Yet they have lost captain Taylor Hinds on a free transfer to European champions Arsenal, and are set to see star forward Olivia Smith follow suit to the North London outfit.

Liverpool will at least be compensated for the departure of the Canada international, with the 20-year-old set to depart in a world-record deal worth £1m.

But news of her exit has still been a bitter pill to swallow for supporters over the past 24 hours, with Smith establishing herself as both star forward and fan favourite during her maiden season with the Reds.

Smith scored nine goals in 25 appearances in 2024/25, with her appearances seeing her named LFC Women's Player of the Season and nominated for the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year award.

Liverpool’s decision to sanction her departure has been criticised by disappointed supporters, with the club’s ambition called into question as a result.

But while Smith’s departure might be perceived to be a step back for the Reds, who have earned three successive top-eight finishes since their promotion back to the Women’s Super League, they are determined to turn one step back into two steps forward.

While a £1m deal, which also includes a sell-on clause, would be an insignificant fee in Premier League football, that is in stark contrast to women’s football.

Smith will become the first £1m female player, with such a transfer fee surpassing the world-record fee Chelsea paid San Diego Wave for the transfer of Naomi Girma earlier this year.

Such a fee is unprecedented, and five times as much what Liverpool paid for Smith when recruiting her from Sporting Lisbon last summer.

It will also offer Liverpool a unique opportunity to reinvest thoroughly and strengthen their squad heading into the new season.

The ECHO understands the Reds already have a number of transfer targets in mind.

Under FSG’s watch, Liverpool have never been afraid of making bold, at times unpopular transfer decisions.

In recent years, they sanctioned Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona for a club-record £142m, with such fees enabling the Reds to bring in the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Fabinho.

Such investment was the turning point for Liverpool as they took the decisive final step to winning Premier League and Champions League titles.

Likewise, there was discontent in the fanbase when the Reds withdrew their interest in Jude Bellingham when revamping their midfield in the summer of 2023.

But fast-forward two years, after an £151m overhaul, and Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo are all Premier League champions.

Admittedly, it will be a big ask for the Reds’ to use Smith’s transfer fee to turn them into the new giant of English football.

It will not be the first time they have had to take a step back to look at the wider picture when making a difficult transfer decision, and it won’t be the last.

But their latest decision can only be judged in time, rather than in the immediate, emotive, aftermath of Smith’s departure.

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With the exciting Canadian, Liverpool finished seventh last season and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

But there was perhaps an over-reliance on Smith to emerge as their match-winner at times.

The Reds’ next moves in the summer transfer window will ultimately determine how successful such a decision proves to be.
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