North Carolina Courage midfielder Denise O’Sullivan has been loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion Women until 31 December 2020.
The 26-year-old Irish international, who has been capped more than 70 times for her country, spent three seasons with Glasgow City, helping them become the first Scottish club to reach the quarter finals of the Champions League.
In 2016 she moved to America and had a season with Houston Dash before moving to North Carolina a year later. She helped Courage win last season’s NWSL Championship and was voted Most Valuable Player by her team-mates.
Whilst with Courage, she had two loan spells in the Australian League with Canberra United and Western Sydney Wanderers.
Brighton head coach Hope Powell said:
“We’re delighted to have Denise with us. She has a proven goalscoring record in some of the best leagues in the world and she will also bring plenty of experience of playing in big games against the best opposition.
“She has had to quarantine since arriving from the States, but she has now started training with us and getting to know the rest of the group. We’re really looking forward to seeing what she can bring to the group on and off the pitch.”
O’Sullivan is delighted to be experiencing the WSL for the first time.
“I am very excited to have joined Brighton & hove Albion,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to challenge myself with a talented squad in a league that’s becoming more and more competitive.
“It was a bit frustrating having to quarantine for a couple of weeks, but I have kept myself in shape and I’m looking forward to helping the club move forward.”
Courage head coach Paul Riley told nccourage.com: “O’Sullivan will change Brighton’s whole way of playing.
“She has a massive impact on tactics because she controls the tempo, dictates the tempo and her job functions are multi-faceted. She is the first player on the team sheet every week in Courage Country and she has left an indelible mark on our younger players through her training habits, game preparation rituals and her magical mindset which sets her apart from most professional players.
“Brighton will be a great home for her and we wish her all the best for her loan club and country as she continues to identify herself as one of the most gifted and complete midfielders in world soccer,” Riley said.
