NewsLFC Women confirm Emma Koivisto signing

The 27-year-old Finland international joins the Reds after 18 months with fellow Barclays Women’s Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion Women.

Koivisto previously enjoyed three successful years with Gothenburg in Sweden, where she left as a league champion, a feat she also achieved with FC Honka in her native Finland.

A graduate of Florida State University in the USA, Koivisto is a long-established international and is part of the Finland squad for the Women’s Euro 2022.

Welcoming his first new signing of the summer transfer window, LFC Women manager Matt Beard said: “Emma will first of all bring versatility as she has played in numerous positions while at Brighton.

“Left-back, right-back, she’s played wide, but we see her best position as the wing-back position.

“She’s a good one-v-one defender, technically she’s very good on the ball, very athletic, quick and can get up and down. I just think the way that we play, she’s going to fit in perfectly with her attacking attributes.”

Koivisto, who will take the No.2 shirt at LFC, is the first Finnish player to represent LFC Women in the professional WSL era - although there have been some famous names on the men’s side.

She said: “I feel really honoured to be able to play for Liverpool. Me and my brother used to be big Liverpool fans growing up because Sami Hyypia, a Finnish legend, was playing for the club when we were kids.

“Everyone knows Liverpool. It feels like a family. I’m really excited to join this club.”

Koivisto will join up with her new teammates after the Euros and a short break, but she’s already looking forward to what she can contribute to the squad.

“I’m quite a versatile player, I’m quite an attacking-minded full-back, I like to go forward. Hopefully I can help the team there and defend as well,” she added.

“I hope I can bring some experience from the WSL. I’ve played in the league for one-and-a-half years now, while I also have some international experience with the Finland national team.

“It’s really exciting that we are in the Euros, it’s going to be a busy summer. It’s a big dream to play and I’m really excited that we’ll soon play those games.”