Above: Hayley Ladd signs her contract with Everton. Photo: Everton FC
by Alyce Collett (16/1/25)
After not getting to get on the park last weekend, this weekend Everton finally get to start the 2025 half of their campaign with a clash against Aston Villa.
Speaking to the media ahead of the clash, Everton manager Brian Sørensen brought those in attendance up on a number of key areas ahead of the clash and the second half of Everton’s season.
One of the biggest topics discussed was Everton’s January transfer window, which has arguably been the busiest of any of the Women’s Super League (WSL) sides. So far this window the Toffees have signed the likes of now former Manchester United player Hayley Ladd and French striker Kelly Gago permanently, as well as Louna Ribadeira, Martina Fernández and Emma Watson temporarily on loan.
Sørensen spoke bout Everton’s busy January transfer window, noting that “one thing is the players. That’s what we needed in terms of the depth in the squad and then having that quality available week, week in, week out.”
“I think the two games in the fall where we actually had a bit of consistency was up against Arsenal and up against City, where we didn’t have to change last minute or somewhat dropped out and so on. So now we have a much better squad that can deliver that consistency in terms of quality and numbers.”
He eluded to that “maybe one more” player will come to Everton “but it’s not a certain”.
He also neither confirmed nor denied there would be any more departures this window, saying that “someone in that next layer that, for whatever reason, want to be certain, or given more game time, then it could be a possibility”, but there are currently no discussions in progress about players departing.
Everton have also had some temporary departures, with young stars Issy Hobson and Ellie Jones being loaned out to Sheffield United, and Macy Settle loaned out to Blackburn Rovers. Sorenson explained that his aim for them while out on loan was to get “senior exposure week in, week out, in a very competitive league.”
“To close the gap to the WSL, I think you need that exposure” Sorenson said.
“We couldn’t afford sending them out before, that was reality, and then we also couldn’t give them the match exposure.”
He also gave an update on a number of key players under an injury cloud.
He said that Elise Stenevik is not ready to return from a hamstring injury, but Karen Holmgaard will be in contention to return from her hip injury very soon.
He also said that Aurora Galli, Inma Gabarro and Kenzie Weir are all “progressing very well” in their recoveries from their respective ACL injuries.
It has been a while since Everton have played a match, but Sorenson explained how he and his team have tried to keep the momentum going from their last match, which was an upset win over title contender Manchester City.
“We showed a couple of clips leading up to the Tottenham game of our performance there just to emphasise and highlight how good some of the spells were” Sørensen explained.
“But we also know that Tottenham and Villa, is going to be a different opponent. We’re not going to set up the same way, we will do it a bit different. But we take great confidence in beating City for sure.”
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