Man City Women's five most expensive transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 17 Oct 2024 08:31 CDT
• 4 min read

Manchester City have been the dominant force in the Premier League since the start of the 2010s, and their stranglehold over the English top flight has only been exacerbated since Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016.

While the men’s side have been all about winning, Man City Women have also enjoyed a period of success since the Women’s Super League was introduced in 2011, but they’ve come out second-best far too often

They finished runners-up in the WSL five times on the trot between 2017 and 2021, while they also came second in 2015 as well as 2024.

READ MORE: What are the most expensive women’s football transfers of all time? The 50 highest fees in history

Chelsea have been the victors more often than not, winning the title in five of the six seasons that Man City Women have finished on the second step of the podium, with the Citizens’ only triumph coming in 2016.

Like in the men’s game, however, they have been big spenders in the transfer market and currently hold the record for the most expensive transfer in WSL history - thanks to Jill Roord’s €350,000 move from VfL Wolfsburg in 2023.

FootballTransfers lists Man City Women’s five most expensive transfers of all time.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive WSL transfers of all time

5. Yui Hasegawa - €114,000 (from West Ham to Man City, 2022)

After eight years and 148 appearances, Yui Hasegawa finally left her childhood club Tokyo Verdy Beleza in 2021, with the Japanese midfielder joining AC Milan in Italy. She lasted just six months at the club, however, before being picked up by West Ham.

Man City were impressed with her performances in the WSL and stumped up €114,000 to sign her in 2022 as Kiera Walsh’s replacement, who joined Barcelona for a world record fee.

4. Filippa Angeldahl - €142,000 (from BK Hacken to Man City, 2021)

Filippa Angeldahl was Man City’s record signing when she joined in 2021, but she has since dropped down to fourth place in the club’s most expensive signing list following their recent transfer activity.

The midfielder won the Swedish top-flight’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ award in 2017, but it wasn’t until she impressed against City in the Women’s Champions League that she earned a move away from his homeland. Angeldahl has been a regular at Man City since arriving.

3. Mary Fowler - €190,000 (from Montpellier to Man City, 2022)

Mary Fowler made her senior Australia debut at just 15 years old and joined Man City four years later having already played for four different clubs in her teenage years.

Fowler netted 17 goals in just 10 Australia U20 caps, which prompted her call-up to the senior national team set-up. She scored one WSL goal in her first season in the competition as Man City finished fourth - their lowest position since 2014.

2. Julie Blakstad - €196,000 (from Rosenborg BK to Man City, 2022)

Julie Blakstad’s move from Rosenborg to Man City was the third most expensive transfer in WSL history at the time, with the Norwegian arriving in England with high expectations after being included in UEFA’s list of 10 footballers to watch out for in 2021, 12 months before she signed for City.

Blakstad was just 20 when she joined Man City, but she was soon ousted for the left-wing position by Lauren Hemp and was loaned to Swedish top-flight club BK Hacken in March 2023.

1. Jill Roord - €350,000 (from Wolfsburg to Man City, 2023

Bethany England’s British transfer record didn’t last long as it was broken after less than six months when Man City splashed €350,000 to lure Netherlands international Jill Roord away from VfL Wolfsburg.

The midfielder previously starred for Arsenal between 2019 and 2021 before she joined Wolfsburg and left the German club having scored 31 goals in just 69 appearances.

Man City Women’s five most expensive signings in history