Chelsea are on the verge of securing the signature of French attacker Melvine Malard from Manchester United in a transfer that would set a new benchmark for the club’s outgoing fees.
The package could reach around £850,000, though several sources indicate the final amount might be nearer to £750,000. Negotiations are believed to be in their concluding phase and the switch is anticipated to be completed.
United looked to extend Malard’s stay with a fresh contract, given she has just one year left on her current terms, but the forward’s wish to pursue a different opportunity became evident. The club therefore opted against allowing a valuable asset to depart for nothing next summer.
Marc Skinner’s squad are expected to channel the proceeds back into reinforcements, and activity in the market appears likely before the window shuts on 3 September.
Malard has been a primary target for Chelsea, who have monitored the former Lyon player over a long stretch. At 26, she previously worked under Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor at Lyon and is said to be eager to join forces with her compatriot again. Their bond stretches back more than a decade, ever since the coach persuaded a youthful Malard to leave Réunion for Lyon.
For Chelsea, the acquisition will bolster their forward line in a close season that has also seen English striker Aggie Beever-Jones agree a new deal.
Malard contributed four Champions League goals last season, helping United reach their first European quarter-final, and found the net six times in 18 WSL starts. She also featured for France during their run to the Euro 2025 knockout rounds last summer.
In other news, Arsenal have brought in 19-year-old German youth international forward Lisa Baum from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig. Baum, who was born in Tanzania and relocated to Germany at the age of four, has regularly represented her nation’s age-group teams.
“This league is extremely demanding and Arsenal represents a massive institution, so I’m thrilled to test myself and measure up against the finest,” Baum told Arsenal’s official site. “My ambitions are to lift silverware and grow as a player, and I feel this club is the ideal environment for that.”
Everton have finalised the free transfer of French under-23 forward Noémie Mouchon from Leicester City after their relegation. The 23-year-old commented on Everton’s website: “I bring pace and a hunger for goals, so I am very eager to begin. My sole focus is to hit the net many times for Everton.”
Everton’s technical director, Nick Cox, added: “We’re delighted to add more firepower with Noémie’s arrival. Naturally, a player of her calibre attracted other suitors, but she was determined to join Everton and play a part in our advancement.”
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