Missy Bo Kearns leaves Liverpool to join WSL rivals in shock transfer

Missy Bo Kearns left Liverpool on a transfer to WSL rivals Aston Villa.

Kearns, 23, has been with the Merseyside club since childhood having joined the academy aged eight. He progressed through the ranks and made over 100 first-team appearances, helping them win promotion from the Championship and re-entry into the WSL in 2022.

Villa, who finished seventh in the league last season, 17 points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, confirmed the midfielder’s arrival on Thursday for an undisclosed fee. Kearns signed a three-year deal through 2027.

New Villa manager Robert de Pauw told the club’s website: “Missy Bo is a great asset to our team. She is a good player and has the potential to be a future leader.

“We are happy to have her in our team. I see Missy as a strong midfielder, who runs from box to box. She is a good passer and knows where to score a goal. Missy Bo has the strength and ability to be a regular player. England international.”

Liverpool manager Matt Beard told their club’s website: “We respect Missy Bo’s decision and she leaves us with our best wishes and, I’m sure, our fans. She wears the shirt with pride as a local girl and I have. I’ve enjoyed my time working with her for so many years and I will continue his future development with great excitement and pride.

According to the BBC News Emma Sanders, Kearns has opted to transfer in an effort to establish herself as a starter in the team and secure regular game time, with the goal of breaking into the Lions’ senior team. The 23-year-old has previously captained England at youth level and was part of Sarina Wiegman’s waiting list for the club’s Euro 2025 qualifiers in the summer.

Last season, Kearns played 20 WSL games for Liverpool, but that equated to 914 minutes of playing time as he mostly came off the bench. He scored one goal and registered one assist during that time.

READ THE LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS, VIEWS AND ANALYSIS