Hayley Ladd has departed Manchester United for fellow Barclays Women’s Super League club Everton on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.
The Welsh international leaves the Red Devils after five full seasons, having joined ahead of their debut in the WSL in 2019. She was named Player of the Year in 2020 and was a key player in their most successful season, when they finished second in the league and qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2022/23. She scored 12 goals for United, the pick of them being a long-range effort in United’s derby victory over Manchester City in May 2023.
However, the 31-year-old has played only eight minutes in the league this season, with boss Marc Skinner favouring Dutch international Dominique Janssen in the holding midfield role. Centre-backs Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier have also been constants in the team, leaving little room for Ladd. Her contract was due to expire at the end of the season, making this January window the last opportunity for United to prevent losing her for free.
More regular minutes with the Toffees will be key for if the Welsh international is to join her country at their Women’s European Championship debut in summer. She boasts 99 senior international caps spanning more than a decade.
Ladd said: “It’s a real privilege and a pleasure to be here (at Everton).
“The squad, first of all, looks really competitive and there are obviously loads of top players. With Brian (Sorensen, manager), he’s really impressive. I think he’s got clear ideas of how he wants to play.
“It’s great to play under a manager who’s got those ideas and really wants to dominate the ball. I’m really excited just to get started working with him.”
Speaking to her versatility and how she might fit into the Toffees’ lineup, she added: “At Wales for a long time, I’ve been playing centre-half, but at United and Birmingham, I was playing in midfield.
“I enjoy both positions and I feel like, hopefully, I can add something to each position and really add just a degree of flexibility to whatever position I’m playing.”
That flexibility could be valuable to an Everton side hampered by multiple injuries this season and with only nine points from their opening ten league games., leaving them 9th. Sorensen said: “Hayley is a player who we believe can bring a lot to our squad – both with her experience in the dressing room and versatility on the field.
“We’ve had a strong start to the January transfer window and I’m very pleased to see Hayley become our newest signing.”
Ladd is the club’s fourth January signing following forward Kelly Gago as well as loan arrivals Martina Fernandez and Emma Watson – the latter a familiar face from the Manchester United dressing room.
Manchester United wished the player the ‘best of luck’ on X, adding in a statement: “Hayley leaves the club with 110 matches to her name, 12 goals, one major trophy and a place in our history secured.”
Everton’s next fixture comes against Tottenham Hotspur in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup on Sunday.