Leicester have signed the Switzerland forward Alisha Lehmann from FC Como. The WSL club have been targeting experienced players this month, having often had the youngest average age in the division in their starting XI this season.
Lehmann, who has played in England’s top flight for West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa, has 64 caps and was part of the Swiss squad at Euro 2025. She has signed a contract to 2028. “It feels like a homecoming, coming back to England, and I’m really happy,” she said.
The 27-year-old joined Como from Juventus in August and told the Guardian the move “just felt right” but has not been a regular starter. She is Leicester’s fifth January signing, the fourth with WSL experience and the youngest of the arrivals, joining Rachel Williams, Ashleigh Neville, Sarah Mayling and Emma Jansson. Leicester have lost their experienced former captain Janice Cayman to PSV.
Lehmann occupies a unique space in women’s football, having 15.9 million Instagram followers, 11.8 million TikTok followers and having recently finished a season co-managing a UK Baller League team with the TV host Maya Jama.
The France striker Kelly Gago wants to leave Everton, their head coach, Brian Sørensen, has said but the club are yet to receive an offer they feel is suitable. Reports suggest the club want about £500,000.
“She wants to go,” Sørensen said on Thursday, before Friday’s WSL meeting with Brighton. “She has a release clause in her contract so any club that wants her can just pay that and she is free to go. But from my understanding it’s like 10% of that release clause that’s been submitted [offered] so I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”
