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 Everton are expected to pay a fee, underlining how highly they rate her. Talks between the clubs had been progressing for days, with the move following a growing transfer corridor between the two sides this summer.
That link is already well worn. France forward Noemie Mouchon has arrived at Walton Hall Park from Leicester on a free, while Wales international Hannah Cain has also made the return to Merseyside from the Foxes. Now comes the headline act: Rantala, the player Leicester built their attack around.
Since joining from Swedish side Vittsjo GIK in 2023, Rantala has scored 13 goals in 48 appearances for Leicester. The numbers only tell part of the story. She was their player of the season and top scorer in 2023-24, the clear focal point of a side fighting to establish itself in the top flight.
Then came the setback. A knee injury in the following campaign stalled her momentum and hit Leicester hard as they slid towards relegation from the WSL in June. Their drop has triggered an exodus; Rantala is set to become the sixth player to depart this summer.
Her pedigree stretches well beyond club level. For Finland, she has 10 goals in 36 appearances and was part of the squad at Euro 2025, a regular presence in a national team that leans on her sharp movement and clean finishing.
For Everton, this is about more than numbers on a squad list. They finished eighth in the WSL last season in a year overshadowed by the departure of manager Brian Sorensen, a campaign that often felt like it never quite settled. Scott Phelan has since been appointed as Sorensen’s permanent successor and is already reshaping the squad, with Rantala becoming the fourth signing of the summer.
Piece by piece, Everton are arming a new coach with new weapons. The question now is simple: can Rantala, once the heartbeat of Leicester’s attack, become the striker who drives Everton into the WSL’s top tier?
