Ahead of her participation in the Olympic Games with the Super Falcons, Nigeria international, Toni Payne has completed a seemingly big move to the English club, Everton.
The 29-year-old, who has been plying her trade in Spain in the last six years with Sevilla, is the first summer signing for the Merseyside team.
Indeed, the summer transfer window has been a busy one for Nigerian players and the women are also commanding big moves.
Super excited
“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 jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
England narrowly edged out the Nigerian Ladies in the round of 16.
Payne says her experience of playing against some of the best talent in the English top flight only added to 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.”
Perfect signing
Everton Women
Q’s team coach, Brian Sorensen, said he is quite delighted with his first signing of the transfer window, Payne, who he said is a perfect fit.
“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.
“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,” he concluded.
Support PREMIUM TIMES’ journalism of integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.
It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
Make Contribution
TEXT AD: Call Willie – +2348098788999
