Aston Villa Women have signed Austrian international Sophie Maierhofer after her completion of a football scholarship at the University of Kansas.
The 23-year-old, who has seven caps for her country, can play in defence or midfield and has previously appeared for Werder Bremen and Icelandic side UMF Selfoss, as well as her four years with Kansas Jayhawks.
Villa Head Coach Gemma Davies told avfc.co.uk: “I’m delighted to welcome Sophie to Aston Villa, and feel she’ll be a valuable addition to our squad for the remainder of the season.
“She has already accrued international experience with her country and she fits the profile of player that we want to have here.
“We’ve got a team full of players who are eager to achieve success and Sophie will fit into the group perfectly.”
Maierhofer commented: “It feels great. I feel grateful for the opportunity to join such a big and traditional club with big ambitions and goals.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to play in England. The women’s game here has made big improvements over recent years and I’m looking forward to making a new experience here.
“It’s one of the best leagues in Europe, so as a player you take notice of that and you want to be a part of it.”
