Sports
10 of the top women’s transfers: Yohannes, Thompson, Clinton, more

The women’s transfer window is closed until January and there have been some big moves this summer. As if one world record wasn’t enough when Olivia Smith went to Arsenal for $1.4 million, we saw London City Lionesses land midfielder Grace Geyoro from Paris Saint-Germain for $1.9m on Women’s Super League (WSL) deadline day.
Alyssa Thompson‘s $1.5m move from Angel City FC to Chelsea was also huge, but clubs didn’t always need to spend a lot of money to get themselves a good deal.
At the end of June, we looked at some of the best transfers so far and we already covered Smith’s transfer in detail in July. So here is another look at the best of the rest.
Lily Yohannes, CM, Ajax to OL Lyonnes
Yohannes has been one of the most sought after talents in women’s football since bursting on to the scene at Ajax as a 16-year-old in November 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to start a UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match.
Despite offers from multiple clubs, including Chelsea, the United States star decided to join French champions OL Lyonnes for a fee of around €450k ($526k) and she will add midfield depth for Jonathan Giraldez’s side as the eight-time UWCL champions attempt to get back to the top of the European game.
– Keogh: Chelsea, LCL, Arsenal, win window; Man United biggest losers
– Transfer grades: Chelsea get an A for Thompson deal; C for Angel City
– Women’s world transfer record history: Geyoro’s $1.9m overtakes Ovalle
Yohannes is a technically gifted midfielder, blessed with excellent vision and variety in her passing. She likes to go high risk/high reward, frequently disrupting the opposition’s shape, and a standout quality is the release time on her passes. Her calculated touches and dynamic positioning allow her time to choose an option, and she consistently makes herself available to receive the ball during progression phases.
Without the ball, Yohannes is good at pressing high up the pitch, though she is still in the early stages of her physical development, which puts her at slight disadvantage in duels. While her off-the-ball positioning is decent, she also has a tendency to drift in and out of games and is susceptible to concentration lapses. But OL Lyonnes have got themselves one of the best young players in the world.
Alyssa Thompson, FW, Angel City FC to Chelsea
The USWNT winger completed her move on WSL deadline day for an initial fee of $1.5m, and sources told ESPN it could reach $2m with add-ons.
Thompson, 20, had eight goal contributions in 16 appearances in the NWSL this season and is capable of playing on both flanks, as she can attack on either side of her opponent. While primarily right footed, she is adept at getting shots off with both feet and has a great change of direction, plus acceleration, making her unpredictable with the ball at her feet.
While her goal-scoring output isn’t in the elite tier yet, Thompson has started to shoot more frequently and receive possession in more advanced areas this season. Her ball carrying, chance creation and versatility adds a lot of value for Chelsea — she has ranked sixth for carries into penalty area (29) and seventh for progressive carries (52) in the NWSL this season.
With Mayra Ramírez and Lauren James set to miss the start of the season due to injury, and Sam Kerr only just returning from a lengthy injury layoff herself, Thompson adds depth and goal threat for the Blues in a much-needed area.
Rasheedat Ajibade, FW, Atlético Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain
PSG have lost quite a bit of talent this summer, some to direct rivals OL Lyonnes. However, they added the 2025 WAFCON Player of the Tournament, and Nigeria captain, to their ranks. The 25-year-old joined from Atlético Madrid after finishing as their top goal scorer last season, while also putting in 36 goal contributions (26 goals and 10 assists) in 80 league appearances across the last three seasons.
Ajibade is an explosive right-footed winger; an excellent progressive outlet (as the graphic above shows), capable of carrying the ball forward. Indeed, she was ranked in the top 10 in Liga F for most progressive passes received last season (35% of total passes she received last season were progressive), averaged the fifth-most progressive carries per 100 open-play touches, and her 83 attempted dribbles were the fourth most by any player.
With her ability to cause danger in transition, Ajibade will be a talismanic figure for PSG, much like Tabitha Chawinga was when she moved to OL Lyonnes a couple of seasons ago.
Grace Clinton, CM, Man United to Man City
Clinton moved from one side of Manchester to the other — with England teammate Jess Park also swapping rival clubs — having scored eight goals in 21 appearances for United last season in the WSL.
The 22-year-old midfielder has good line-breaking ability and uses her strong frame to her advantage. She is excellent beating players in midfield to create space for herself and no player attempted more take-ons in the WSL last season (72). Her eight through balls were also the most by any player.
One of Clinton’s best attributes is her ability to get into the box from midfield; she makes late runs to bypass her marker and attack cutbacks and crosses, scoring a good proportion of her goals in this fashion. She will certainly add attacking threat for City and, playing alongside maestro Yui Hasegawa, will be allowed to roam forward and find the runs of her teammates in behind the defense.
Grace Geyoro, CM, Paris Saint-Germain to London City Lionesses
London City Lionesses pulled off a coup on WSL deadline day to land Geyoro from PSG for a world-record fee of $1.9m.
Geyoro, 28, has spent her entire career at PSG, playing 250+ games for the club, and is capable of contributing in every phase of play as she has marshalled their midfield in different roles, playing as a ball-playing defensive midfielder, a box-to-box midfielder, or even as an advanced No. 8.
One of the finest press-breaking midfielders in women’s football, her ability to maneuver away from danger and consistently move the ball forward is exceptional, while she ranked fifth for progressive passes in the French Première Ligue last season (121).
Geyoro will reunite with her former PSG manager Jocelyn Prêcheur and will help with the wealthy London club’s ambitions of finishing in the upper half of the table in their first season in top flight.
Julia Zigiotti Olme, CM, Bayern Munich to Man United
Sweden‘s semifinal run at Euro 2025 proved to be a crowning moment for Zigiotti Olme, as her performances in midfield earned her a move to United this summer.
The 27-year-old, who was at Brighton between 2022-2024, is a robust ball winner and provides an excellent screen in front of her defense. Her on-ball qualities are geared towards ball circulation and retention primarily, while she isn’t afraid of diving into well-timed challenges and duels when out of possession. Her nine attempted tackles in the middle third was the fourth-most by any player in that region at Euro 2025, while only Italy‘s Cristiana Girelli (19) and England‘s Lucy Bronze (18) won more aerial duels than her (13).
Zigiotti Olme will adapt quickly to the WSL, having only recently left, and will add a bite to United’s midfield alongside Hinata Miyazawa and Ella Toone, with her presence enabling her teammates to take up more attacking positions.
Lia Wälti, CM, Arsenal to Juventus
Juventus quietly pulled off one of the best transfers this summer as they landed Wälti for nothing after seven years with Arsenal.
The 32-year-old is one of the most technically gifted midfielders in women’s football and is as two-footed as they come, with her excellent vision and passing helping to break defensive lines. Her ability to find solutions when in possession is elite, as she constantly spots and creates passing options, and her defensive output is impressive too. Indeed, she offers an excellent screening presence in front of the defense and has incredible game awareness, allowing her to disrupt opposition attacks and recover possession via duels and fine positioning.
Injuries have been a concern in recent seasons, as she only started 10 WSL games and played just 50.5% of the total minutes in the available last season, her lowest share since she arrived at the club in 2018. But her move could have a big impact on Juve if she can stay fit.
Sophia Kleinherne, CB, Eintracht Frankfurt to Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg let go of 10 players this summer, including the likes of Jule Brand and Sveindis Jonsdottir, but replaced them with 11 incoming players, including one of Germany‘s most promising center backs in Kleinherne. (Though she will miss the start of the season due to a muscle injury picked up during the Euro 2025.)
The 25-year-old defender, who played 153 league games for Frankfurt, has tremendous quality on and off the ball, with an excellent range in her distribution — she had the second-best passing accuracy (92.9%) in the Frauen-Bundesliga, and played the second-most passes into the final third (131).
Kleinherne is also excellent in one-vs.one situations and loves to go into challenges; she had a tackle success rate of 79% last season, winning 30 of her 38 attempts, and should provide a defensive boost for Wolfsburg when she returns to fitness.
Sara Holmgaard, LB, Everton to Real Madrid
Real Madrid lost their captain and starting left back, Olga Carmona, to PSG this summer, but filled that hole with one of the best available options on the market.
The Denmark international was arguably the best left back in the WSL last season and ranked in the top 10 for tackles won (successful from 40 of her 60 attempts). She is excellent at reading the opposition’s movements and winning challenges in one-vs.one situations, while her recovery pace allows her to get her team out of danger.
Holmgaard, 25, is able to deliver a fine cross, with good weight and timing, and her 78 crosses in the WSL were the fourth most across last season. She is proactive with her positioning and runs in possession, often marauding forward and attacking the box, so her relationship with striker and international teammate Signe Bruun in the final third could be decisive in Madrid’s season.
Jade Rose, CB, Harvard University to Manchester City
City replaced the outgoing Laia Aleixandri with Canada international Rose, who was voted “Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year” after her Sophomore year and joins on a four-year deal.
The 22-year-old is 5-foot-10, an aggressive defender and a towering presence in duels. She is also a threat from attacking set-pieces thanks to her height, but is good on the ball too and capable of carrying it forward and distributing over medium ranges.
Rose has been named Canada’s Young Player of the Year three times and already has 32 appearances for the senior side. There is room for improvement on her first touch and body shape when picking up the ball, but she looks set to complement Alex Greenwood in central defense and has the potential to be a breakout star in the WSL this season.
Sports
Sources: Trophy logo to return to NBA Finals court

Back by popular demand, the NBA Finals will have the large Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy logo return to center court as well the Finals script logo on the floor, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday.
The logos will be painted on the court instead of appearing digitally or via a decal, sources told ESPN.
Fans on social media complained during and after Game 1 of the past Finals between Oklahoma City and Indiana when they saw there were no Finals logo decals on the court.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver noticed the discussions during the Finals and said the league would look into potentially bringing back the distinctive logos that came only on the NBA’s biggest stage.
“I’ve seen some of the chatter on social media around on-court decals,” Silver said on ESPN during the Finals. “People don’t realize they went away a decade ago because there were claims that some of the players [were saying] they were slippery when we had the decals on the floor.”
The last time the large trophy was painted on an NBA Finals court was in 2009.
“Maybe there’s a way around it,” Silver told reporters during the Finals. “To be honest, I hadn’t thought all that much about it until I [saw] it [on social media].
“I’m nostalgic, as well, for certain things. And also, I think for a media-driven culture, whether it’s people watching live or seeing those images on social media, it’s nice when you’re looking back on highlights and they stand out because you see that trophy logo or some other indication that it’s a special event.”
Sports
Peterson, Dybantsa downplay race to No. 1 pick

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Big 12 might boast the top two picks in next summer’s NBA draft — but both Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa say the NBA isn’t on their minds right now.
Speaking at Big 12 media day on Wednesday, Peterson — a five-star recruit and 6-foot-6 guard who is projected to go No. 1 in ESPN’s latest 2026 NBA mock draft — said he’s focused on helping the Jayhawks win this season, not the chatter about his future.
“I handle it by not even paying any attention to it,” Peterson told ESPN. “I’m just going to go out and play and win games.”
Peterson on Wednesday was tabbed as Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 preseason first team. Dybantsa, the 6-foot-9 standout who is projected to be drafted second, was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America team on Monday.
The buzz around Dybantsa grew on Saturday when he recorded 30 points (10-for-19), 7 rebounds and 3 steals in BYU’s 90-89 exhibition loss to Nebraska. Dybantsa said playing a road game against the Huskers was a good experience, despite the loss.
“I think that not everybody had their best game. Some people had jitters,” he said. “It was the first college game for the freshmen or their first game with BYU or their first game on the biggest stage. I like the Big 12 level, but I learned a lot. I felt more comfortable getting into an exhibition and just getting to [compete] out there, getting to learn the away crowds, how away games are. I never really played a crazy away game, so that was fun.”
But the speculation about him potentially being the No. 1 pick — and maybe battling his Big 12 peer Peterson in the pursuit — is something Dybantsa has tried to avoid, too.
“I think me and [Peterson] probably have similar mindsets, obviously, playing with him since I’ll say my freshman year,” Dybantsa said. “I don’t think he is too worried about [going No. 1]. I think he’s just really trying to prove himself as a college player and he’s probably got the same goal as me: to go out and win.”
Peterson said his only focus right now is to be a great leader for the Jayhawks and adjust to college life.
“I lead by example and I’m trying to do all the right stuff, both on and off the court,” he said. “I think that’s good for the team if you can see a young guy coming in and doing that.”
Although Dybantsa and Peterson were the focus of Wednesday’s event, another NBA prospect’s name was mentioned, too.
UCF coach Johnny Dawkins, following his team’s 96-71 exhibition loss at Duke on Tuesday night, hopped on a plane to Kansas City with his players for Big 12 media day.
Dawkins, a former Duke star, said freshman Cameron Boozer — the two-time national Gatorade Player of the Year and projected No. 3 pick in ESPN’s latest mock draft — has the talent to excel at the next level after he scored 33 points (4-for-7 from 3) in the win.
“He’s terrific. He’s a great basketball player and he still has room to grow,” Dawkins said Wednesday. “I mean, I’m watching him out there and the thing that stood out more than anything is that it was a really good basketball game, and his competitive spirit, you saw him raise his level and that’s what the great players do. They’re able to raise their level in those moments and I saw him do that.
“When I saw that happen, I knew exactly who he’s going to be. He’s going to be a great college player and he’s going to be a terrific pro.”
Sports
UF baseball coach O’Sullivan takes personal leave

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan will take a leave of absence to address personal matters effective immediately, the school said Wednesday.
Associate head coach Chuck Jeroloman will take over O’Sullivan’s duties on an interim basis.
“I appreciate the support of the University and athletic department,” O’Sullivan said in a statement. “I have some personal and family issues that need my full attention at this time.”
O’Sullivan is the program’s all-time wins leader with a 756-371 (.671) record in 18 seasons. He has led the Gators to 17 NCAA regionals, nine College World Series appearances, six Southeastern Conference championships and the 2017 national title.
“Coach O’Sullivan has our full support as he takes the time he needs to focus on personal matters,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We appreciate his openness in communicating this decision, and respect his need for privacy.”
In August, the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee issued a public reprimand to O’Sullivan for aggressive behavior and profanity-laced language directed at site administrators for the regional in Conway, South Carolina, in June.
O’Sullivan publicly apologized June 2, the day after his tirade. Florida also suspended O’Sullivan for the first three games of the 2026 regular season.
O’Sullivan was upset because the start time of his team’s elimination game against East Carolina – an 11-4 loss – was pushed back an hour. East Carolina’s previous game had ended at midnight.
Videos of O’Sullivan’s tirade were circulated widely on social media. Kevin Schnall, coach of host Coastal Carolina, ripped O’Sullivan for the outburst during a news conference later that day.
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