Chelsea sign Melvine Malard from Manchester United in record deal

Chelsea have announced the signing of the France forward Melvine Malard from Manchester United on a four-year contract. The Guardian revealed last week that a deal was close for the 26-year-old, who has left United after three seasons for about £850,000.

Malard had one year on her contract and United were keen to keep the forward. However, once it became clear Malard wanted a move United decided to sell rather than lose a high-value player on a free next summer.

It is believed United will reinvest the fee, which is a record sale for the club, into the squad, with the transfer window open until 3 September.

United have made one summer signing, the full-back Andrea Medina from Atlético Madrid, but more incomings are expected after the departures of Leah Galton, Hannah Blundell, Sienna Wareing, Millie Turner, Lisa Naalsund and Malard.

“I’m so happy because I have a plan for my life and my career, and Chelsea were a part of that plan,” Malard said. ”My objective is to become better every single day and to win trophies. I know Chelsea always have that as an objective.”

The France international played under Chelsea’s head coach, Sonia Bompastor, at Lyonnes (formerly Lyon) and was recruited to their academy by Bompastor. “I have known Sonia since I was 14 years old, so it is great to work with her again,” Malard said.

It is understood Chelsea have been tracking Malard for some time. They have lost a number of players across the forward line, with the club record-goalscorer Sam Kerr and Guro Reiten departing for Gotham FC, Catarina Macario joining San Diego Wave and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd signing for Lyonnes.

Malard is Chelsea’s third signing of the summer, after the former Arsenal full-back Katie McCabe and the forward Manaka Matsukubo, who was with North Carolina Courage.

Malard spent seven seasons at Lyonnes, winning four Champions Leagues, three league titles and two Coupes de France. Her first season with United was on loan.

Last season she scored four goals in United’s run to a first Champions League quarter-final and six times in 18 Women’s Super League games.

Liverpool have signed the Japanese attacking midfielder Mao Itamura from Feyenoord. The 19-year-old, who won the Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup in April, was the Eredivisie player of the year last season in the Netherlands. She scored eight times and provided six assists as Feyenoord qualified for European competition for the first time, their third-place finish earning a place in the Europa Cup.

Itamura is Liverpool’s fifth summer signing, after Vivien Endemann, Sara Agrez, Mari Ward and Khiara Keating.