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Everton set to sign Iceland wonderkid Runarsdottir on four-year deal
The teenager has put pen to paper on a deal that will start this summer, with the Toffees seeing off competition from a number of other clubs
Everton are set to announce the signing of Iceland international goalkeeper Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir on a four-year deal, sources have told Goal.
The deal will begin in July, when she turns 18, with the Toffees having beaten a number of clubs to the 17-year-old’s signature, including Women’s Super League rivals West Ham.
Runarsdottir will spend the upcoming season on loan at KIF Orebro in Sweden and is set to be involved in their Svenska Cupen fixture against Sundsvall this weekend.
Who is Runarsdottir?
Runarsdottir has been playing senior football in Iceland since she was 13 years old, starting her career with Afturelding. She helped the club win the second division title in 2017, before leaving for Fylkir the following season.
The teenager has spent the last three years with the club in the Urvalsdeild, the top flight of women’s football in Iceland. In 2020, she was named the league’s Young Player of the Year.
Her development has not gone unnoticed at international level, with Runarsdottir winning her first senior call-up in late 2019.
Her debut came a few months later, when she started Iceland's 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in March 2020. In doing so, she became her country's youngest ever goalkeeper.
Why Everton?
Under Willie Kirk, who was appointed manager in late 2018, Everton have an exciting project that will particularly appeal to young players like Runarsdottir.
Kirk has signed lots of aspiring youngsters from across Europe since joining the club, such as winger Nicoline Sorensen, defender Rikke Sevecke and striker Valerie Gauvin, all of whom are having great first seasons with the Toffees.
The club’s first-choice goalkeeper, Sandy MacIver, signed last January after finishing college in America and has quickly established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the WSL. She has since made her senior England debut, too.
Goal understands that as well as Everton and West Ham, Sassuolo and Benfica were also interested in Runarsdottir, but the project on Merseyside appealed.
Kirk's side are currently fifth in the WSL table and reached the Women's FA Cup final in November, where they were beaten only in extra-time by reigning champions Manchester City.
