Birmingham pays £200k for Manchester United players

Birmingham City has committed approximately £200,000 in transfer fees to acquire defender Millie Turner and midfielder Lisa Naalsund from Manchester United, establishing a concrete market valuation for established Women’s Super League players.

The club paid an understood fee of around £100,000 for each player. Turner, a 30-year-old centre-back, made 189 appearances across eight years at United. Naalsund, a Norway midfielder, had been with United since January 2023. Both players were part of the squad that secured the 2024 Women’s FA Cup.

For Manchester United, the transfers represent a notable departure of experienced squad assets. Matt Johnson, United’s director of football, said: “Millie’s contribution has been immense, she is a great professional and a fantastic leader, and has played a vital role in everything we have achieved throughout the last eight years.” Naalsund wrote on Instagram: “Manchester United will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for the memories, the friendships, the lessons, and the moments that will stay with me forever.”

While Birmingham deployed capital, competing clubs opted to strengthen their operations through the free transfer market. Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Emily Ramsey without a fee. The 25-year-old, who was part of the England squad that won the invitational Arnold Clark Cup in 2023, previously helped Manchester United win promotion to the Women’s Super League via the second-tier title in the 2018-19 season. Ramsey spent three years at Everton following an initial loan spell, and was at Liverpool during the 2017-18 season without making an appearance.

Crystal Palace also utilized the free market, confirming the signing of former Tottenham captain Bethany England on a two-year deal with an option for a further year. The 32-year-old adds veteran leadership to the Palace squad at no direct transfer cost.

Turner expressed confidence in Birmingham’s future, stating: “This is where I want to be. The way that the girls fight for each other and play for each other, it’s something that I really want to be part of. It’s an exciting project and I think there’s no ceiling to what we can achieve here.”