Liverpool announces its first summer addition, a 19-year-old joining the women’s team.

Olivia Smith, a Canadian international, has officially signed with Liverpool FC Women from Sporting CP.

Subject to international clearance, the 19-year-old, who can play both midfield and attack, signed a deal with the Reds at the AXA Melwood Training Centre.

Smith joins Liverpool following an incredible debut professional season with Sporting in Portugal, where she won the Campeonato Nacional Feminino’s Best Young Player award.

In her eighteen league games, she tallied thirteen goals and nine assists, helping her team qualify for the Women’s Champions League by placing second behind Benfica.

Smith declared, “I got to see a little bit of Liverpool now that I’m finally here in the facility, and I absolutely love it and I’m super-excited.”

As a whole, the club is undoubtedly prestigious, and my dad finds great significance in it because he has been watching and supporting it since he was a small child.

Thus, it’s awesome to get this chance and truly be a part of it. Our team is very young, and they did a fantastic job last season, so I think it’s really exciting.

Being a member of a group like this excites me. When Smith made her debut in November 2019 at the age of 15 years and 94 days, she became the youngest player in Canadian history. She has now earned 10 senior caps.

She won the Young Player of the Tournament award at the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this year, and she made an appearance at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

After playing for the North Toronto Nitros in her own country and Penn State University, Smith joined Sporting in July 2023.

“I think the biggest thing for me is, ‘Where can I grow?’” she said. And it ultimately depends on the staff and the coach. I believe Matt Beard has shown that he can help me develop, and this is among the greatest leagues in the world.

“It’s incredible that I came here after my first professional season, and I can’t wait to grow and learn and become the best version of myself.”

Beard, the manager of LFC Women, has been following Smith’s career for a while and expressed his happiness at signing her.

Many hours of labour have gone into it; we have been keeping an eye on her for the past year and a half, he stated. “I’m thrilled; her admirers ought to be too.

She has a wonderful demeanour in addition to her amazing talent. Hopefully, that personality and talent will be evident on the pitch.

We’re incredibly excited to work with her based on our chats and our viewing of the games.

She is swift, deft with both feet, capable of scoring, providing an assist, and tackling. Unquestionably my kind of player.

She has a strong work ethic, which is, I believe, the first thing that everyone knows we look at. Her desire to get better is a great attitude. Let’s hope she can continue where she left off at Sporting and improve here.

“Olivia has really excited us.”

Smith joins the Reds for an undisclosed amount in 2024–2025 and will wear the No. 11 shirt for LFC Women.