Everton have completed the signing of Nigeria international forward Toni Payne.
The 29-year-old, who can play across the front line, joins the Club after a six-year spell in Spain with Sevilla and is the first signing of the summer for Brian Sorensen’s side.
“I’m super excited to be an Everton player,” Payne told evertontv. “It’s been my dream to play in the UK and in such a strong league like the WSL.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to play at a club like Everton with so much history in football.
“Now was the right moment for me to look for another challenge to push myself.
“It’s going to be different and new, and I’m really happy about my decision.”
Payne, who has 21 caps for Nigeria, was part of the Super Eagles squad that competed at the 2023 World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand, being narrowly beaten by England in the last 16.
Payne says her experience of playing against some of the best talent in the English top-flight only added her desire to move to Merseyside.
“I’m impressed with how the league is investing in teams and the league itself,” she continued.
“I see such a rapid growth and it’s something that I’m really excited and eager to be a part of.”
During that World Cup campaign, Nigeria went up against the Republic of Ireland and competed against two of Payne’s new Blues teammates in Heather Payne and Courtney Brosnan.
Both have developed significantly in their time at Everton, and Payne says the opportunity to development further under the guidance of manager Sorensen is something that excites her.
“You can see just how much the players are growing here at Everton,” she added.
“I think this is going to be a great fit for me because that’s what I want. I want to grow, I want to improve, and this is the perfect place for me to achieve that.
“I’m impressed with the way we play. I think it fits my style and how I want to play. I cannot wait to get started.”
On his first signing of the transfer window, Sorensen told evertonfc.com: “I’m extremely happy to bring Toni to the Club.
“She is exactly the type of player we need. I’m 100-per-cent confident Toni can fit right into our team and into this league because she has a wealth of experience from Spain but also for the Nigeria national team.
“She can play multiple positions and is an intelligent player who is really fast. A player without any injury history, too, so we are confident she will be a big success for us.
“The way we play, it’s very dynamic. We don’t operate with a typical front three, it’s more so about filling the right spaces and having the ability to create opportunities. That’s where she will fit in very well.
“Toni can play across the front line and in behind but can also do combination play and drop into midfield.
“All of these qualities make her a great asset and she will be an important player for us.”
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