Report: Canada's Olivia Smith set for record-breaking transfer to Arsenal

Canadian forward Olivia Smith is reportedly set to become the most expensive player in women's soccer history with a move to Champions League winners Arsenal.

Liverpool accepted an offer from their Women's Super League rivals that exceeds the current record transfer fee of $1.1 million, sources told The Guardian's Tom Garry. That record was set in January when Chelsea bought American defender Naomi Girma from the NWSL's San Diego Wave.

Smith can fulfill various attacking roles and scored seven of Liverpool's 22 goals during the 2024-25 Women's Super League campaign. The 20-year-old was named the Players' Player of the Year and the Players' Young Player of the Year by her teammates after her debut season with the club.

Smith became the youngest player ever to be called up to the Canadian women's team at the age of 15. She has since earned 18 caps, scoring three goals and assisting three times despite starting just seven matches.

Liverpool rejected numerous bids for Smith before finally succumbing to Arsenal's record-breaking proposal, Garry reports. The accepted offer is understood to break the £1-million barrier and is therefore at least five times more than the £200,000 that Liverpool paid Sporting CP to sign Smith in July 2024.

The current exchange rate values £1 million at around $1.35 million.

"She's phenomenal. She gives us so much on the ball, but the work-rate off the ball is just as good," Liverpool's interim head coach Amber Whiteley said after Smith scored twice - including the women's team's first goal at Anfield - in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in March.