Chelsea FC flexed their muscles in the winter transfer window and invested heavily. The Champions League quarter-finalists secured the services of Keira Walsh from FC Barcelona for a transfer fee of EUR 850,000. A few days earlier, they had already signed US defender Naomi Girma from San Diegeo Wave for the equivalent of EUR 1.06 million. Never before in history has a footballer cost a seven-figure transfer fee.

Alexander Straus, Norwegian coach of FC Bayern, never tires of emphasising that the German club could not compete with such teams. By way of comparison, Munich made the most expensive transfer in the club’s history last summer when they managed to prise Lena Oberdorf away from long-term rivals VfL Wolfsburg for around 400,000 euros. Oberdorf’s team-mate, Ewa Pajor, also moved before this season. The Polish attacker’s destination was FC Barcelona, who transferred around 500,000 euros to Wolfsburg.

The figures prove it: the transfer market in women’s football is picking up speed. And with it the big money. It is no longer a rarity for players to change clubs for six-figure sums. Some time ago, the picture was very different.

What is particularly interesting is the fact that the transfer sums are not only distributed among the big clubs in England and Spain. With Keira Walsh and Tarciane, two players who changed clubs twice also made it into the top 10. Another curious fact: the transfer of Milene Domingues caused a stir back in 2002. The Brazilian, who was Ronaldo’s wife at the time, was transferred from Italy to Madrid together with him. The transfer fee was unrivalled for a long time.

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