Australia striker McNamara joins Everton

Everton have signed Holly McNamara on a free transfer after the Australia striker's Melbourne City had expired. The 23-year-old has won the Golden Boot in Australia's A-League on two occasions. Everton say they beat "a wide range of top clubs across Europe and the United States" to sign McNamara. She becomes Everton's fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Noemie Mouchon, Hannah Cain and Zara Kramzar. "It is unreal to be here. Goodison Park is such a special stadium. I am very lucky to be here," said McNamara. "Everton have such a rich history and that drew me to the club. It is a good club that has great ambitions and a great project for the next few years. "A big thing was also the chance to play in the best league in the world. It is so competitive and any team can beat anyone. "I can't wait to try to do everything for this club [in order] to win and to do as well as we can." McNamara was named the A-League's young player of the year in 2022 and helped Australia reach the 2026 Women's Asian Cup final. She will wear the number nine shirt for Everton. [BBC] Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page