Everton Sign Jutta Rantala from Leicester City
Everton have struck a deal to sign Finland international striker Jutta Rantala from Leicester City, prising away one of the most dangerous forwards in the Women’s Super League last season.
The 26-year-old still has a year left on her Leicester contract, so a fee will be involved, but Everton clearly decided this was not a summer to hesitate. They have already dipped into the Leicester squad once; now they are going back for the crown jewel.
Everton raid a relegated rival
This is not a one-off move. It’s a pattern.
France forward Noemie Mouchon has already made the switch from Leicester to Everton on a free transfer, while Wales international Hannah Cain has returned to Merseyside from the Foxes. Now comes Rantala, the player Leicester built their attack around.
She joined Leicester from Swedish side Vittsjo GIK in 2023 and wasted no time announcing herself. Thirteen goals in 48 appearances tell part of the story; the accolades fill in the rest. Rantala was named Leicester’s player of the season and finished as their top scorer in 2023-24, a rare bright light in a side fighting at the wrong end of the table.
Then came the setback. A knee injury disrupted the following campaign, slowing her momentum just as her reputation was taking off. Everton’s move is a statement that they believe the player who lit up the league is still there, ready to be unlocked again.
Leicester lose another pillar
For Leicester, relegated from the WSL in June, this is another painful departure in a summer of exits. Rantala is set to become the sixth player to leave since the drop, a further dismantling of a squad that only a year ago looked capable of establishing itself in the top flight.
On the international stage, her pedigree is clear. Rantala has 10 goals in 36 appearances for Finland and was part of the squad at Euro 2025, carrying her club form onto the biggest stage available to her country.
Losing that kind of profile is tough for any relegated club. Losing it to a direct WSL rival stings even more.
Phelan’s Everton take shape
Everton, meanwhile, are reshaping under new permanent manager Scott Phelan. They finished eighth in the WSL last season after the departure of Brian Sorensen, a campaign that often felt like it was stuck between eras.
This summer is about choosing a direction.
Rantala’s arrival would make her the latest in a growing list of signings as Everton look to sharpen their attacking edge and climb away from mid-table anonymity. Four new faces are already through the door; the Finland striker adds proven end product to that rebuild.
Everton have not just added depth. They have taken the player of the season from a former league rival, a forward with a track record in Sweden, England and on the international stage.
If her knee holds and her confidence returns, this is the kind of transfer that can shift a team’s ceiling — and leave Leicester wondering how quickly they can replace yet another cornerstone.
