Goalkeeper Lizzie Durack rejoins Everton Ladies

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Lizzie Durack says “it feels like I’m coming home” after rejoining Everton Ladies.

The once-capped England goalkeeper is no stranger to the Blue Girls, having played for the Club in 2013.

Durack says she has been impressed with the progress made by Andy Spence’s side since then and that she is looking forward to meeting up with some familiar faces when in pre-season.

“It feels like I’m coming home,” she told evertonfc.com. “It’s familiar but, at the same time, the Club has come such a long way that it feels like a new environment. It’s a nice balance of both.

“I was playing soccer and studying over in America at Harvard University as a student athlete. I successfully graduated after four years and now I’m looking forward to coming back and playing professionally.

“I’m very excited to be joining the WSL 1 league. I’ve had my sights on it for the last couple of years and I’ve been lucky in terms of the timing of the season and Everton’s promotion. It was perfect timing.

“It’s great to be reunited with Andy Spence, too. His first season here was also my first season here. It’s nice to have a coach here who believes in me - it gives me a big confidence boost.”

Durack arrives at Everton off the back of completing her studies in economics and neurobiology at Harvard University in the United States, where she played for their varsity side.

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she was picked up as a youngster by Western Sydney Wanderers, making a handful of appearances in the W-League.

Despite inclusion in Australia’s Under-17 squad, she travelled to England to train with the Lionesses’ Under-19s squad, her eligibility coming through her mother.

She impressed, and linked up with Everton in 2013, before going on to help England reach the final of the European Under-19s Championships later that year.

A year later she joined up with the senior Lionesses side for the Cyprus Cup and made her debut with a late cameo against Finland. Since then, she has gone to Canada to represent the Under-20s in the World Cup in 2014 and the Under-23s.

She becomes the Toffees’ third signing since it was announced they would be back in WSL 1 for the 2017/18 season, after the Club captured Netherlands international duo Siri Worm and Marthe Munstermann.