Liverpool Women have confirmed the signing of Natasha Dowie on loan from Reading for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.
The striker previously spent three years with the Reds between 2012 and 2015 where she won back-to-back league titles under manager Matt Beard. She's since spent time in Australia, the USA, Sweden, Norway and Italy before she returned to England with Reading in 2021.
Liverpool are in need of bodies in forward areas following the recent injury to Shanice van de Sanden. Leanne Kiernan is still sidelined with an ankle injury, while Katie Stengel has also had injury concerns of her own.
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Dowie becomes the Reds' fifth signing of the January window as she follows Gemma Bonner, Sofie Lundgaard, Fuka Nagano and Miri Taylor through the door. In terms of outgoings, Charlotte Wardlaw had her loan spell cut short and defender Gilly Flaherty announced her retirement from the game earlier this month.
In total, Dowie scored 45 goals in 66 appearances for the Reds in her first spell and she will be available for the first time for the WSL clash against Leicester City Women on February 12.
She said: “It’s been a surreal last couple of days, it all happened quite quick. “But I’m over the moon to be back, this is my home, this is where I’ve got such great memories, the best memories really of my football career winning the league here.
“I’m just really excited for the next four months, on loan from Reading but just really want to help Liverpool get up the table as much as I can, however much I can be involved.”
Dowie was warmly welcomed to the Campus training ground by some old teammates and members of staff as she collected the 29 shirt she will wear in this spell with the club.
“It was great to see everyone’s faces this morning, it just feels like yesterday I was here.
“The big thing for me is to enjoy my football again. I’m a player who wants to feel involved and be involved.
“I’ve scored goals throughout my entire career. The girls here have been doing really well, Katie Stengel has had an amazing season, but I want to add some experience and some knowledge.
“I’ve obviously travelled, played in six or seven different countries and won things. I’ve worked with Beardy before and he’s someone who knows how to get the best out of me.
“I just want to come in and work hard. I’m here for four months and who knows what the future holds? I just want to come in and be a positive player, help the girls and hopefully score some goals.
“It’s so nice to wear the Liverpool shirt again.”
Matt Beard said: “I think the biggest thing for us is that Tats is a goal scorer. If you look at her record, it’s consistently a goal every other game throughout her career.
“When the opportunity arose to bring her in – the fact she’s a Liverpool fan as well - we felt it was a good move for us and a good move for her.”
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