Super Falcons star, Toni Payne, has officially joined the English club, Everton Ladies as their first summer signing.
The announcement was made on Friday by Everton Women X, with the caption “Welcome to Everton, @t_payne10”.
Payne, 29, previously played for Sevilla in Spain for six years and has now moved to the Barclays Women’s Super League.
She is excited about her new journey in the UK and the Women’s Super League.
“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 Falcons squad that competed at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
England narrowly defeated the Nigerian team in the round of 16. Her experience playing against top talent in the English league inspired her to join Everton.
“I’m impressed with how the league is investing in teams and the league itself,” Payne continued. “I see such a rapid growth and it’s something that I’m really excited and eager to be a part of.”
Everton Women’s team coach, Brian Sorensen, is delighted with his first signing of the transfer window. He believes Payne is a perfect fit for the team.
“I’m extremely happy to bring Toni to the Club,” Sorensen told evertonfc.com. “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.”
Sorensen added, “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.”
With 21 international caps for Nigeria, Payne brings significant experience to Everton, having recently participated in the 2023 World Cup.
