Forward Olivia Smith has made the move from Liverpool to Arsenal for a world record fee of £1 million.
The Canadian is the now the most expensive female footballer of all-time, eclipsing the nearly £900,000 that Chelsea paid for defender Naomi Girma in January.
It is the Gunners' third summer signing after making Chloe Kelly's loan spell permanent and re-signing former academy graduate Taylor Hinds, also formerly of Liverpool.
The acquisition of Smith represents another statement of intent from Arsenal, who are looking to build on their UEFA Women's Champions League victory with a stronger domestic campaign.
Having taken over from Jonas Eidevall in October, Renee Slegers led the North Londoners to second in the Women's Super League, the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and the semi-finals of the League Cup before capturing a stunning second European crown with a 1-0 win over Barcelona.
Scoring goals was not the biggest problem for Arsenal last season. With a forward line that includes Alessia Russo, Mariona Caldentey, Beth Mead, and Caitlin Foord for starters, they ended the league campaign with 62 goals - six more than champions Chelsea.
However, continuously bolstering the squad will afford them the luxury of rotation and the ability to compete on all four frontiers.
It leaves Liverpool with a sizeable amount to address their roster with. Incomings at Merseyside are likely on hold until a new head coach is appointed, with former Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor said to be in talks, as reported by The Guardian.
Smith's rise to stardom
Smith has had a meteoric rise, having only made her senior club debut in 2022 in her native Ontario for outfit North Toronto Nitros, though she has been playing for the Canadian national team since 2019.
18 goals in 11 games caught the eyes of Sporting CP, where she helped the Portuguese giants to runners-up in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino, two points behind rivals Benfica, though they did qualify for the Champions League for the first time in five seasons.
She also picked up the league's Young Player of the Season award for 2023/24. Later that summer, Smith collected the same award at the CONCACAF W Gold Cup during Canada's run to the semi-finals.
Liverpool then brought the striker to the WSL for a club record £200,000 last year. Her goal tally may have decreased compared to her previous two seasons, but Smith has looked at home in England's top flight.
She has demonstrated the physicality and bravery needed to succeed as a winger at the highest level, all the while maintaining her exceptional dribbling, creativity and unflinching eye for goal.
Smith ended the season as the Reds' top scorer with nine goals and was named both Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season. Smith also wrote her name in the history books by becoming the player to score a WSL goal at Anfield in the 2-1 defeat to Man City in October.
Still so early in her development, Smith could thrive in a side with silverware ambitions that can help her reach another level. A number of the game's biggest clubs were reportedly in the market to give her that platform, with ESPN stating that bids from Lyon and Chelsea were rejected before Arsenal met their expectations.
Though her immediate future is likely destined for the wings, more experience within England and on the continent may make her a versatile option across the front three in years to come.
In an interview with the Barclays Women's Super League YouTube channel that was released in May, Smith explained what her short term target was.
"I want to be in the Champions League one day, so I'm hoping within the next two years I can get there."
She was also asked what she would say to her future self: "Literally anything is possible and the sky is the limit."