Liverpool willing to break transfer record to secure statement summer signing

Liverpool are hopeful of signing Canada international Olivia Smith this summer in a deal that would break the club's record transfer fee.

The ECHO understands the Reds are willing to pay Smith's release clause, believed to be in the region of €250,000 (£210,000), in order to release the teenager from her current contract at Portuguese side Sporting CP . The 19-year-old can play as either a forward or an attacking midfielder and would become Liverpool's club-record signing, surpassing striker Sophie Roman Haug who joined the club for around £100,000 from AS Roma last summer.

Smith joined Sporting from Canadian side North Toronto Nitros in 2023, joining the club on a three-year deal. She was voted Player of the Year and Young Player of the Season in Liga BPI with 13 goals in 18 appearances last term.

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She also has enormous international pedigree, having become the youngest player to feature for Canada's senior national team at the age of 15 years and 94 days in 2019. Smith is expected to be one of a handful of signings for Liverpool this summer, with the Reds favouring a quantity over quality approach after recruiting heavily in 2023.

A number of last summer's signings, including Haug and former West Ham defender Grace Fisk, have settled in well on Merseyside and manager Matt Beard is now set to finetune his squad after guiding Liverpool to an impressive fourth-place finish in the Women's Super League (WSL) last season.

It is understood the club's priority will be bolstering their attacking ranks following the departure of wingers Melissa Lawley and Shanice van de Sanden. Midfielder Miri Taylor and defender Emma Koivisto also left Liverpool at the end of the season.