Everton Women Sign Prolific France Striker Gauvin

Everton Women have completed the signing of prolific France international striker Valerie Gauvin from Montpellier on a three-year deal until the end of June 2023.

Gauvin was in the France team which reached the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup before losing to eventual winners USA – and was on target in the host country’s last-16 victory over Brazil.

The 24-year-old, capped 31 times by France, scored 14 goals in 16 appearances for top-flight Montpellier in the curtailed 2019/20 domestic campaign.

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Gauvin spent six years with Montpellier after joining aged 18 from Toulouse, where she graduated from the club’s youth team.

An Under-20 World Cup finalist with France in 2016, Gauvin scored her goals at a rate of more than one every two games for Montpellier.

Pictured: Gauvin in action for France against Brazil at the 2019 Women's World Cup

She is Willie Kirk’s fifth summer addition as the manager aims to sustain the progress achieved when Everton secured a top-six Women’s Super League finish last season.

Kirk said: "Signing Valerie is a real coup for the Club and a sign of our ambition.

"For me, she is already one of the top strikers in Europe and taking into account her age and mindset, she will continue to get even better, and I’m delighted to be part of that future development.

"She is going to add a focal point to our attack and will be an important part of what is now a very exciting squad that we have put together.

“Sarvar (Ismailov, Everton Women Sporting Director) has worked tirelessly to get this deal done, and it shows his commitment and ambition to the Club with what we want to achieve here.”

The Denmark international pair of forward Nicoline Sorensen and Rikke Sevecke, a defender, joined from Brondby and FC Fleury respectively earlier this summer.

Fellow Scandinavian Ingrid Moe Wold, the decorated Norwegian international right-back, signed following the expiry of her contract with Madrid.

Poppy Pattinson, an England Under-21 international left-back, agreed a two-year deal when transferring from fellow WSL club Bristol City.