Manchester City have added the goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita to their contingent of Japan internationals, making her the third brought in this summer and the fourth in Gareth Taylor’s squad.
The 28-year-old joins the Women Super League’s runners-up from the Japanese side INAC Kobe Leonessa on a three-year contract. Yamashita’sinternational teammates Risa Shimizu and Aoba Fujino were recruited from West Ham and Tokyo Verdy Beleza, respectively, this summer and the midfielder Yui Hasegawa joined City from West Ham in September 2022.
“I feel very honoured to be here,” Yamashita said. “I am very hungry. I’ve won various trophies in Asia, but to level up myself, I felt the need to take on a challenge. It’s a famous club that everyone knows, and even now, it feels unbelievable to me.
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“During my time at Beleza, I used to play with Yui Hasegawa, who is here now, so she is very encouraging. I’m really looking forward to playing with her again.”
Yamashita, who has 74 caps, is City’s fifth summer signing, the WSL record goalscorer Vivienne Miedema having joined after the expiry of her Arsenal contract and the 18-year-old goalkeeper Eve Annets was also brought in. The arrival of Yamashita and Annets heightens the competition for the No 1 spot held by Khiara Keating last season.
Taylor said: “She is another player who will bring even more international experience into the squad and we’re looking forward to welcoming her to the team.”
City have strengthened well despite the departure of seven players, including the retiring captain, Steph Houghton, Demi Stokes, who has joined Newcastle, the Washington Spirit recruit Esme Morgan and the goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, who has moved to Barcelona.
Manchester United have announced the signing of Canada’s Simi Awujo. As reported by the Guardian, the 20-year-old midfielder has joined from the University of Southern California on a three-year deal, subject to registration.
Awujo has 19 caps and was a part of the Canada squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2024 Olympics – a campaign fraught with controversy after staff were found to have been spying on a New Zealand training session via a drone.
United’s manager, Marc Skinner, described Awujo as an “exciting young talent” and the player said: “To say that I’m a professional footballer for Manchester United is insane. I’m so excited.”
Aston Villa have added the 23-year-old Netherlands winger Chasity Grant to their ranks. Grant made her international debut in February 2022 and joins on a three-year contract after four years at Ajax.
The new Aston Villa manager, Robert de Pauw, said: “She can play on both sides and is also able to play as a striker or wing-back. She is a player I believe will suit the WSL with her style of play.”
Grant is Villa’s seventh summer signing, with Paula Tomás recruited from Levante, Katie Robinson joining from Brighton, Miri Taylor and Missy Bo Kearns plucked from Liverpool, Jill Baijings on loan from Bayern Munich and Sabrina D’Angelo part of a goalkeeper exchange with Daphne van Domselaar and Arsenal.
Katerina Svitkova has left Chelsea to join Slavia Prague, where she spent the second half of last season on loan. The Czech Republic midfielder signed from West Ham two years ago but was restricted by injuries to a handful of appearances.
