Olivia Smith is a relatively new name on the Women’s Super League scene. Liverpool fans might be familiar, and those who follow Sporting in Portugal might also be in the know. But, generally speaking, this is not a player with superstar status. All that is about to change.

Olivia Smith. Remember it. The Canadian forward is about to become the most talked-about player on the circuit.

The 20-year-old, who only turned professional in 2023, has become the first female player to command a transfer fee of £1m, signing for Arsenal from Liverpool in a deal that finally smashes through a highly anticipated glass ceiling.

This is a shift that will spark headlines. A milestone moment for the women’s game, and a long time in the making. Observers, reasonably, will question why it’s taken so long to get here, 46 years after Britain’s first £1m male footballer Trevor Francis was signed by Nottingham Forest.

But that inquest would only detract from more relevant and intriguing curiosities. Smith is not (yet) a household name. She is not synonymous with the Aitana Bonmatis or Sam Kerrs of this world. Her WSL career is only 1,578 minutes old.

How and why, then, are Arsenal splashing so much cash to sign her? And is this development a genuine game-changer? Sky Sports delves into Smith’s remarkable backstory and what the Gunners’ big-money move means for WSL rivals.

Who is Smith?

Liverpool broke the bank to sign Smith, born and raised in the Canadian province of Ontario, from Sporting last summer.

She had made her breakthrough in Portugal, scoring and assisting on her Liga BPI debut before going on to contribute 13 goals in 18 appearances.

But the teenager was more than a goalscorer. Fearless and raw, Smith was identified as a forward who could dribble, carry, create and assist. She has energy and pace to burn. On the ball she is progressive, out of possession she presses and wins duels. What is not to like?

Liverpool saw an opportunity. In July 2024, they parted with a club-record fee of £210,000 to bring her to the WSL – and are recouping nearly five times that figure just 12 months later. Smart business.

Smith was one of the highlights of Liverpool’s otherwise underwhelming season. She quickly proved she was a player for the big moments, too, scoring in the win over Manchester United at Anfield and the downing of Arsenal in the FA Cup. Something about that display clearly caught the eye. And she will only improve surrounded by better players.

Arsenal’s power play

Step aside, Chelsea. Arsenal are making moves.

The significance of becoming the first women’s team to sign a player for £1m should not be underestimated. This is about prestige and status as much as it is about the addition of a youngster with world-class potential.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this breakthrough is less the fee, or the player commanding it (high potential costs big money), but the club that’s making it happen.

Arsenal are making their intentions known. This is a squeeze. A shakedown.

To beat Chelsea to the feat will please the club’s board no end. Domestically they have been in the shadows of their west London rivals for years now, allowing them to win six consecutive WSL titles while they racked up just two League Cups. As achievements go, the two are incomparable.

But under Renee Slegers, Arsenal are emboldened. They dared to dream of another European winner’s medal (still the only English club to win the competition) and actually did it. It’s amazing what a Champions League title can do for reputation and rank. Such a statement signing only adds to their recent air of victory.

Chelsea’s market-changing January spend – to buy Naomi Girma and Keira Walsh for a combined total of £1.29m – left clubs wondering how they can compete. That outlay represented 70 per cent of the English market and more than a quarter (28 per cent) of the money spent globally in that window.

Arsenal are the first to offer a genuine response. They want a proper seat at the table.

Ok, so where does Smith actually fit?

Smith is versatile and can play as a central striker, No 10 or out wide. She suits Arsenal’s expansive style perfectly. Only four WSL players attempted more shots last season: Khadija Shaw (52), Frida Maanum (57), Elisabeth Terland (65) and Alessia Russo (73).

But her ball-carrying ability is what’s most distinctive, and most exciting.

Last season, only Russo (21) recorded more shot-ending carries than Smith (20), while she also ranked fifth for progressive ball carries among all forwards and wingers. Of the 10 most prolific players for take-ons, she had the best success rate at 57.4 per cent.

And she is equally tricky to dispossess – only Viviane Asseyi (51) drew more fouls than Smith’s total of 46. Her 21 possessions won in the attacking third ranks seventh best in the league.

And yet, Smith poses an obvious dilemma to Slegers. Not to mention the weight of a world-record fee on young shoulders. A £1m price tag is surely undesirable for a relatively inexperienced 20-year-old?

Perhaps more burdensome for Slegers, though, is who Smith might displace. She played 62 per cent of league minutes in the No 9 role last season but dislodging Russo is unlikely. Right wing? Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead dominate there.

Such high investment stationed on the bench might pose a problem too.

Ultimately, if Arsenal want to beat Chelsea to next year’s WSL crown, clearly, they need a depth of squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts. Can this be the start of a mission to close the gap at the top? It certainly helps. But don’t be surprised to see champions Chelsea respond in kind.