Eintracht Frankfurt have completed the permanent signing of England youth international Vivienne Lia from Arsenal. The versatile 19-year-old attacker has signed a contract until 30 June 2030 and will wear the No.24 shirt in Germany.
Lia progressed through Arsenal’s academy and signed her first professional contract with the club in January 2025. Her route to regular senior football, however, was built through loans with Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Hammarby rather than sustained appearances for Arsenal.
Frankfurt are now offering something different: a permanent home and a four-year plan designed to turn her potential into a consistent first-team role.
Transfer Snapshot
- Player: Vivienne Lia
- Age: 19
- Position: Versatile attacker
- From: Arsenal
- To: Eintracht Frankfurt
- Transfer: Permanent
- Contract: Until 30 June 2030
- Squad number: 24
- Previous loans: Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Hammarby
- England youth record: 25 appearances and five goals at Under-17 and Under-19 level
- Major senior honour: Svenska Cupen with Hammarby
Why Lia Has Left Arsenal
Vivienne Lia joined Arsenal at a young age and developed into an attacker capable of operating in several positions.
She entered the senior squad in 2024 and made her professional debut against London City Lionesses in the Players Cup quarter-final. Breaking into Arsenal’s established attacking group regularly proved considerably more difficult.
A loan to Southampton in January 2025 gave Lia her first sustained experience in WSL 2, where she made nine appearances. She later joined Nottingham Forest and added another 12 competitive appearances, providing one assist.
Those moves gave Lia senior minutes but kept her future dependent on the next short-term decision. Each loan required another adaptation before she could build continuity.
Her transfer to Frankfurt changes that situation. Lia is no longer waiting to discover whether Arsenal will create a place for her or arrange another temporary move. She has joined a club prepared to make her development part of its long-term squad planning.
Hammarby Loan Added a Different Dimension
Vivienne Lia’s final loan before joining Frankfurt took her outside England for the first time. She moved to Hammarby in the spring of 2026, making seven Damallsvenskan appearances and playing four times in the Svenska Cupen. Hammarby went on to win the cup, giving Lia her first experience of claiming senior silverware.
That spell exposed her to a different football culture and added another test to a career that had previously been centred on English academy and second-tier football.
The move also showed a willingness to leave familiar surroundings in search of development. Joining Frankfurt extends that process, but with the security of a permanent agreement instead of another short loan.
What Vivienne Lia Brings to Frankfurt
Frankfurt sporting director Babett Peter highlighted Lia’s speed, one-on-one ability and the physical resilience developed through English football. Those qualities give the club another direct attacking option.
Vivienne Lia describes herself as a creative player who wants possession and enjoys producing goals and assists. Her versatility should allow Frankfurt to use her in wide areas or other advanced positions, depending on how quickly she adapts to the Frauen-Bundesliga.
She is unlikely to arrive as a completed first-team solution. Her senior career remains relatively young, and her previous appearances have been spread across several clubs and competitions.
Frankfurt are investing in the combination of qualities she already possesses and the player they believe can emerge with stable coaching, regular competition and time.
“Vivienne brings a lot of talent and already has considerable experience, including at international level,” Peter said. “She has the necessary robustness, good speed and qualities in one-on-one situations to give our attack another component.”
Frankfurt Make Their Development Plan Part of the Transfer
The length of Lia’s contract is significant. A deal until 2030 gives Frankfurt four seasons to develop her without requiring an immediate return. It also gives the player clarity after a period in which her club football changed repeatedly.
Peter explained that Frankfurt want to show young players how they can develop into leading footballers alongside the club. Lia’s signing provides a direct test of that vision.
The German side must now provide more than encouraging language. Lia needs a coherent role, opportunities to compete and a pathway that allows mistakes without stopping her progress.
The attraction for Frankfurt is equally clear. If Lia develops successfully, they will control the future of an England youth international through several important formative years.
England Youth Experience Supports Her Potential
Vivienne Lia has represented England at Under-17 and Under-19 level, making 25 combined appearances and scoring five goals. She has also been selected twice with the England Under-20 group, keeping her inside the national team’s development structure as she moves abroad.
Regular Frauen-Bundesliga football could strengthen her international position. Playing permanently in Germany would allow England’s coaches to assess her against top-flight opposition rather than across a collection of short loan spells.
Her move also continues the increasingly common route of young English players leaving leading WSL academies to find clearer opportunities elsewhere in Europe.
A Permanent Chance to Establish Her Own Identity
Vivienne Lia already knows two Frankfurt players in Amanda Ilestedt and Danique Tolhoek, which should help her settle into the squad. Familiar faces can ease the transition, but her success will depend on what happens once the competitive season begins.
She must adapt to the Frauen-Bundesliga, earn minutes and show that her creative qualities can produce consistent senior output. Frankfurt, meanwhile, must turn a long contract into a genuine development programme.
Lia’s Arsenal education gave her a strong foundation. Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Hammarby provided senior experience. Eintracht Frankfurt are giving her the opportunity to bring those separate stages together and finally build continuity under one badge.
Source: Eintracht Frankfurt
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