Van de Donk Arrives at London City, Kitagawa Set for Everton Move – Transfer Update

London City Lionesses have made a bold statement following their promotion to the Women’s Super League by signing Dutch midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk. The club, which is independently run, will compete in the WSL for the first time next season after clinching the Women’s Championship title in May. Van de Donk, 33, has joined on a free transfer from OL Lyonnes, a club recently renamed from Lyon and notable for being record eight-time European champions. Like London City Lionesses, OL Lyonnes is owned by American businesswoman Michele Kang.

Van de Donk brings a wealth of experience, having won the WSL title with Arsenal in 2019 and being part of the Netherlands squad that secured the 2017 European Championship and reached the 2019 World Cup final. She has signed a two-year contract with London City and is the club’s first signing of the transfer window. “I’m feeling really good,” remarked Van de Donk. “The club really appeals to me, it feels like a little family, and I want to be a part of it. London City is different in a good way, and I love that they have to fight for everything—that’s my style.”

The announcement of Van de Donk’s return to the WSL coincides with the Football Association’s formal approval of an expansion of the league from 12 to 14 clubs starting in the 2026-27 season.

In other news, Japan defender Hikaru Kitagawa is expected to undergo a medical at Everton on Saturday as she closes in on a transfer from BK Häcken. The 28-year-old, who was part of Japan’s Olympic squad last summer and helped the team win February’s SheBelieves Cup in the US, has six months left on her contract with the Swedish club, which she joined in 2024. Kitagawa’s arrival is anticipated to kick off a flurry of transfer activity at Everton, who finished eighth in the Women’s Super League and are reportedly preparing to sign several internationals, thanks to a boost in their budget following the club’s acquisition by The Friedkin Group.

Lastly, Burnley has officially appointed Matt Beard, a two-time former WSL title-winning coach, as their manager, marking one of the most significant appointments in Women’s National League history. Beard, who has previously managed Liverpool, Chelsea, and West Ham, expressed enthusiasm about joining Burnley: “I’m so impressed with everybody I’ve met at the club and the conversations I’ve had, and I’m looking forward to getting started.” The club is set to transition into a full-time women’s football operation starting next season.