LONDON CITY LIONESSESS chief executive Martin Semmens has denied the club paid a world-record transfer fee for Paris St Germain midfielder Grace Geyoro.
It had been reported the deal for the 28-year-old was worth over €1.5 million (£1.43m), beating the €1.27m (£1.1m) paid by Orlando Pride to Tigres UANL for Mexico winger Lizbeth Ovalle last month.
However, Semmens said the fee had been over-inflated.
“It is a fantastic signing and a fantastic player but the numbers are not quite right. I suspect those figures are more promoted from the other side,” he told talkSPORT.
“It is a big deal around the £1m mark but not a world record sadly.”
Geyoro, who has won 103 caps and scored 22 goals for France, is the Lionesses’ 16th permanent signing of the summer as they prepare for their maiden season in the top flight.
Among the others to have joined are experienced England forward Nikita Parris, former Manchester United captain Katie Zelem, Barcelona’s Jana Fernandez and Lyon’s Danielle van de Donk.
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Manager Jocelyn Precheur, who worked with Geyoro for two years at PSG, said she was “one of the best players on the planet”.
“She has a wonderful career but she is still underestimated,” said Precheur at a press conference ahead of their first match against Arsenal.
“I immediately knew it would be such a good opportunity for the club to have such a good player.
“We have a lot of young and talented players. The signing of a player like her is important for the balance of the squad.
“She is experienced and knows how I want to play. She knows the game perfectly so she will help the team a lot and how we want to play.
“I’m not surprised we had to pay a huge fee to have this sort of player.”
Other headline deadline day moves included Manchester United and Manchester City swapping England midfielders Grace Clinton and Jess Park, and Chelsea capturing US international Alyssa Thompson.
Clinton joins City on a four-year deal, the 22-year-old having been at United since July 2022.
Park has similarly signed a four-year contract, the 23-year-old arriving at the Red Devils on a deal running until June 2029.
Park made her City debut as a 16-year-old in December 2017 and scored 22 goals in 119 appearances.
Meanwhile, Alessia Russo has signed a new long-term deal with Arsenal.
The 2025/26 WSL season gets underway this evening, with six in a row champions Chelsea welcoming Manchester City to Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal host London City Lionesses at the Emirates tomorrow afternoon, while the Merseyside derby is one of four games down for decision on Sunday.
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London City Lionesses deny paying world-record fee for Grace Geyoro
LONDON CITY LIONESSESS chief executive Martin Semmens has denied the club paid a world-record transfer fee for Paris St Germain midfielder Grace Geyoro.
It had been reported the deal for the 28-year-old was worth over €1.5 million (£1.43m), beating the €1.27m (£1.1m) paid by Orlando Pride to Tigres UANL for Mexico winger Lizbeth Ovalle last month.
However, Semmens said the fee had been over-inflated.
“It is a fantastic signing and a fantastic player but the numbers are not quite right. I suspect those figures are more promoted from the other side,” he told talkSPORT.
“It is a big deal around the £1m mark but not a world record sadly.”
Geyoro, who has won 103 caps and scored 22 goals for France, is the Lionesses’ 16th permanent signing of the summer as they prepare for their maiden season in the top flight.
Among the others to have joined are experienced England forward Nikita Parris, former Manchester United captain Katie Zelem, Barcelona’s Jana Fernandez and Lyon’s Danielle van de Donk.
Manager Jocelyn Precheur, who worked with Geyoro for two years at PSG, said she was “one of the best players on the planet”.
“She has a wonderful career but she is still underestimated,” said Precheur at a press conference ahead of their first match against Arsenal.
“I immediately knew it would be such a good opportunity for the club to have such a good player.
“We have a lot of young and talented players. The signing of a player like her is important for the balance of the squad.
“She is experienced and knows how I want to play. She knows the game perfectly so she will help the team a lot and how we want to play.
“I’m not surprised we had to pay a huge fee to have this sort of player.”
Other headline deadline day moves included Manchester United and Manchester City swapping England midfielders Grace Clinton and Jess Park, and Chelsea capturing US international Alyssa Thompson.
Clinton joins City on a four-year deal, the 22-year-old having been at United since July 2022.
Park has similarly signed a four-year contract, the 23-year-old arriving at the Red Devils on a deal running until June 2029.
Park made her City debut as a 16-year-old in December 2017 and scored 22 goals in 119 appearances.
Meanwhile, Alessia Russo has signed a new long-term deal with Arsenal.
The 2025/26 WSL season gets underway this evening, with six in a row champions Chelsea welcoming Manchester City to Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal host London City Lionesses at the Emirates tomorrow afternoon, while the Merseyside derby is one of four games down for decision on Sunday.
There are 10 Irish players in line for WSL action in 2025/26.
Tara O’Hanlon’s loan to Sunderland from Manchester City until December was the standout move involving an Irish player on deadline day.
- With reporting from Emma Duffy
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