Full Breakdown
Leicester City offloads key players as clubs reinforce squads
7/22/2026, 12:51:48 PM
Transfers following relegation
Leicester City’s women’s side dropped from the Women’s Super League and the men’s team fell to League One in the 2024-25 season. The double relegation has prompted the club to allow several high-profile players to move on, creating opportunities for other clubs in both the women’s and men’s top flights.
Everton signs Finland striker Jutta Rantala
Everton Women have agreed a deal for Finland international Jutta Rantala, a 26-year-old forward who spent the 2023-24 season with Leicester. BBC Sport reported that Rantala scored 13 goals in 48 league appearances for Leicester after arriving from Swedish side Vittsjo GIK in 2023, earning player-of-the-season and top-scorer honors. She has also netted 10 goals in 36 caps for Finland and was selected for the Euro 2025 squad. Because she has one year left on her contract, Everton are expected to pay a transfer fee to secure her services. The signing adds to Everton’s recent activity under new permanent manager Scott Phelan, who is looking to improve on an eighth-place finish last season.
Ipswich Town signs Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu
On July 21, Ipswich Town announced a five-year contract for 22-year-old Ghanaian winger Abdul Fatawu, who joins from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee. Channel News Asia noted that Fatawu has earned 32 caps and scored three goals for Ghana, featuring in all four matches of the nation’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar and in the summer tournament in North America. He was Leicester’s Young Player of the Year and contributed nine goals and seven assists in 44 Championship matches during the club’s promotion-winning season, before making 11 Premier League appearances in the injury-hit 2024-25 campaign. EADT reported that the transfer includes a guaranteed £20 million payment to Leicester with an additional £3 million in potential add-ons. Ipswich will open their Premier League season against Sunderland on August 22, returning to the top flight after a year in the Championship.
Implications for the acquiring clubs
Everton’s acquisition of Rantala bolsters a forward line that lost several key attackers this summer, aligning with Scott Phelan’s plan to climb higher in the WSL. Ipswich’s investment in Fatawu, alongside other summer signings, signals an aggressive approach to compete in the Premier League, with the £20 million outlay reflecting the club’s ambition to secure a stable top-flight status. Both clubs anticipate that the new arrivals will provide immediate impact as they pursue improved league performances.
