Everton Women sign highly-rated teenage Sweden international midfielder Hanna Bennison from FC Rosengard for a club-record fee.
Bennison, 18, joins the Blues for a substantial six-figure sum and has penned a four-year deal until June 2025.
She made her senior Sweden debut just one month after her 17th birthday, excelling in a friendly international against world champions USA and has continued to feature regularly for her country, being part of the squad that won silver at the recent Olympic Games in Japan.
Earlier this year, Bennison received the prestigious Goal NXGN Award for the best young female footballer in the world.
Speaking to evertontv, Bennison said: “It feels amazing to be here. I’m still young, I need to learn a lot, and I think this is the perfect environment for me to grow.
“I like the league in England and we have a very good manager in Willie Kirk. I’ve spoken to him, and the way sees my game is the way see myself.
“I think Everton has something big happening – we have a really good squad with a lot of good players.
“I know the club wants to play in the Champions League. That’s one of my goals, too, and I hope I can help the team reach that.”
Manager Willie Kirk believes Bennison can elevate her game to new heights with Everton.
“Hanna was highly sought after and there was a lot of competition for her signature,” he said.
“I’m delighted the club has backed my judgement, making sure we were in as strong a position as possible to be successful in her acquisition.
“She’ll play a big part for us, not just this season, but in the long-term. She’s at a fantastic level but there is still so much more to come, considering she’s only 18.
“Moving away from home for the first time can be a big stress in a young player’s life. We just need to make sure we support her and that she settles in. That will give her the platform to perform on the pitch.
“I think having [Sweden teammates] Anna [Anvegård] and Nathalie [Björn] here will help. That’s great for us and for Hanna.”
