The January transfer window has closed and the need to reinforce Women’s Super League squads grows ever more present now the level of the competition is as fierce as it has ever been.
It is Liverpool’s first season back in top-flight football after two years in the Championship. Despite starting with a win over Chelsea the Reds have struggled with injuries throughout the season which potentially has forced their hand to do business in the January window in every effort to avoid a relegation battle.
As it stands they are ninth in the league table with eight points from 10 games - just one point ahead of Reading and Brighton in 10th and 11th and five points ahead of bottom-of-the-table Leicester. Everton however are fifth, they sit five points away from fourth place Manchester City and two ahead of Aston Villa in sixth.
Below, Liverpool Echo takes you through the deals that have been done so far for each Merseyside club.
Liverpool
Matt Beard’s side fought valiantly at the start of the season when Katie Stengel put two past last year's league winners Chelsea and did so without Leanne Kiernan, who is yet to return, and Shanice Van De Sanden through injury. Most recently Stengel was ruled out for their 6-0 thrashing from Manchester United, which could have provoked action this transfer window.
To help reinforce the midfield, Danish international Sofie Lundgaard signed for the Reds from Fortuna Hjorring and will impact Liverpool's attacking talent scoring 12 goals in her five seasons in the Elitedivisionen. She has also represented her country Denmark in their youth set-up on the international stage.
Fuka Nagano and Miri Taylor also join the ranks at Liverpool, both coming from the National Women's Soccer League - America’s top tier.
Fuka slots in the holding role in a midfield three on the international stage for Japan yet has experience playing the number 10 role in America so will offer Beard some flexibility and flair in the middle of the park.
Former Angel City midfielder Taylor came through the Chelsea youth set-up and offered the Reds an attacking threat across the entire front three to support Stengel, Van De Sanden, Kiernan and Melissa Lawley.
Charlotte Wardlaw’s time with Liverpool was cut short as she returned to her parent club Chelsea for the second half of the season.
The 19-year-old was integral to the Reds in their Championship triumph and promotion back into the top tier. However has only four appearances in the league this season, starting just one WSL game.
Natasha Dowie was a late deadline day deal which sees her return to the Reds until the end of the season on loan from Reading.
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.
Everton
Australian international Clare Wheeler made her move to Everton permanently when she put pen to paper in early January.
The 25-year-old joins the Toffees on a two-and-a-half-year deal after arriving at Everton on loan in the summer from Danish Elitedivisionen side Fortuna Hjorring.
The central midfielder has worked with manager Brian Sorensen in Denmark before his tenure at the Merseyside club, he holds Wheeler in high regard for her intellectual play and consistency in the middle of the park.
Sara Holmgaard returned to the club in the New year following her loan spell with Fortuna Hjorring, she joins her twin sister Karen and Danish club teammate Clare Wheeler to bolster Sorensen’s midfield.
However, it was goodbye for Brazilian international talent Gio as she returns to her parent club Arsenal after arriving at Everton on loan in the summer. The 19-year-old has had her minutes carefully administered as she picked up a hip injury just weeks into her Everton career.
The Brazilian registered one goal and one assist in eleven appearances for the Toffees before the Gunners decided to cut her loan spell short, hindering Everton’s attacking options ahead of the second half of the season.
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