Everton have completed the signing of Australia international Holly McNamara, beating competition from clubs across Europe and the United States to secure one of the most exciting young forwards in Australian football.
The 23-year-old joins on a free transfer following the expiry of her contract with Melbourne City, becoming Everton’s fifth signing of the summer after the arrivals of Noémie Mouchon, Hannah Cain, Zara Kramžar and Hannah Blundell.
On paper, McNamara arrives as a prolific goalscorer. In reality, Everton have recruited a striker whose rise has been shaped as much by perseverance as by talent. After overcoming two serious ACL injuries early in her career, McNamara has rebuilt her reputation to become one of Australia’s most feared attackers, winning consecutive A-League Golden Boot awards before earning her move to the Women’s Super League.
Transfer Snapshot
Player: Holly McNamara
Age: 23
Position: Centre Forward
From: Melbourne City
To: Everton
Transfer Status: Free Transfer
Nationality: Australia
A Striker Built to Score Goals
Holly McNamara is a natural centre forward who thrives inside the penalty area but offers much more than finishing alone.
She combines pace with intelligent movement, constantly looking to run beyond defensive lines or attack space between centre-backs. Comfortable linking play before accelerating into dangerous positions, she also has the dribbling ability to carry the ball forward and create chances for herself.
Out of possession, she works aggressively to press defenders, while her strength and aerial ability allow her to compete physically despite standing at 168cm. Those qualities were reflected throughout an outstanding 2025/26 campaign.
Across all competitions, McNamara scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 25 appearances, including 14 goals and five assists in the A-League Women. She also carried her domestic form into continental competition, scoring four goals in five AFC Women’s Champions League matches as Melbourne City enjoyed a memorable campaign.
For Everton, those numbers underline why interest in the striker stretched well beyond Australia.
A Career That Refused to Stop
Holly McNamara’s journey to Goodison Park has been anything but straightforward. Her first ACL injury came in 2018, denying her the opportunity to make her debut for Australia’s Under-17 side at the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship.
Having worked her way back, she made a dream professional debut for Melbourne City in December 2021, scoring the winning goal against Canberra United. Just two months later, however, disaster struck again.
A second ACL injury brought her breakthrough season to an abrupt end and left her facing another lengthy rehabilitation. Many players struggle to rediscover their best football after one serious knee injury. McNamara returned from two.
Instead of allowing those setbacks to define her career, she developed into the A-League Women’s most prolific striker, winning back-to-back Golden Boot awards and helping Australia claim a silver medal at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup. That resilience makes her rise every bit as impressive as her goalscoring record.
Why Everton Wanted Her
Everton’s recruitment this summer has pointed towards a clear objective. Rather than relying solely on established Women’s Super League names, the club have targeted younger players with the potential to develop together under Scott Phelan.
Mouchon, Kramžar and Cain all arrived with exciting profiles, while Holly McNamara now provides a proven goalscorer capable of leading the line.
The fact Everton persuaded her to choose Merseyside despite reported interest from clubs across Europe and the United States suggests the club’s long-term vision played an important role in the decision.
McNamara herself highlighted Everton’s history, ambition and the opportunity to play under Scott Phelan at Goodison Park as key reasons behind the move. Taking the club’s iconic number nine shirt also reflects the belief Everton have in her ability to become a focal point of the attack.
Ready for the Women’s Super League
Every move to the Women’s Super League brings a period of adaptation. The pace, physicality and quality of opposition are different from those found in Australia, but McNamara arrives with growing international experience and the confidence that comes from the most productive spell of her career.
She has already demonstrated she can perform consistently under pressure, contribute in continental competition and deliver goals across an entire season. Everton will now hope those qualities translate to English football. If they do, the Blues may have secured one of the bargains of the summer.
Why It Matters
Holly McNamara is more than another attacking signing. Everton have recruited a striker entering the prime years of her career, fresh from consecutive Golden Boot-winning seasons and determined to prove herself on one of the biggest stages in women’s football.
After overcoming the biggest challenges of her career, she now has the opportunity to establish herself in the Women’s Super League.
For Everton, winning the race for one of Australia’s brightest attacking talents could prove to be one of the smartest pieces of business they complete this summer.
Source: Everton
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