Newcastle United Targets Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool

Newcastle United are closing on a deal for Liverpool forward Leanne Kiernan in what would be one of the standout moves of the women’s summer window.

Talks are at an advanced stage for the Republic of Ireland international, who still has more than a year left on her contract at Liverpool. That means Newcastle, pushing hard for promotion from the second tier, are preparing to pay a fee to get their target.

This is not a speculative punt. It is a move for a proven goalscorer.

A scorer with pedigree

Kiernan, 27, has been at Liverpool for five years and signed an extension in 2025, embedding herself in a squad that climbed back into the top flight. She scored 23 goals in 76 appearances for the Reds, but one season stands out.

In 2021-22, as Liverpool powered their way to the WSL 2 title, Kiernan led the line and led the scoring charts. Fourteen league goals, relentless running, and a constant threat in behind. She was central to that promotion campaign, the kind of forward who drags a team up a division.

Her path to Merseyside came via West Ham, where she made more than 40 WSL appearances after breaking through at Shelbourne. By the time she arrived at Liverpool, she already knew the demands of England’s top division.

On the international stage, she has 38 caps for the Republic of Ireland since her debut in 2017, adding experience and edge to any dressing room she walks into.

Limited minutes, growing frustration

The story at Liverpool has shifted in the past year. Kiernan’s opportunities have dried up.

Under manager Gareth Taylor, she started just once in the WSL last season before heading out on loan to Nottingham Forest in January for the second half of the campaign. The move gave her minutes but underlined her position in the pecking order at Liverpool.

The competition has only intensified. Germany forward Vivien Endemann has arrived from Wolfsburg this summer, strengthening Liverpool’s attacking options and pushing Kiernan further from regular starts.

For a forward in her prime years, that situation rarely lasts. Newcastle have sensed it.

Ambitious Newcastle make their move

Newcastle’s project in the women’s game has accelerated. Six signings already this window underline their intent, and Kiernan would be one of the headline additions as they gear up for a serious tilt at the WSL 2 title.

They are not just stockpiling numbers. Kiernan offers something specific: pace, direct running, and a track record of scoring in the very division Newcastle want to conquer. She knows how to handle the grind of a promotion race, having done it with Liverpool.

For a second-tier side to move for a forward with this résumé – a title winner, a former top-flight regular, an established international – is a clear statement. Newcastle are not content to ease their way up. They want to arrive with force.

The deal is not done yet, but the direction of travel is obvious. If Newcastle get this over the line, they will add a striker who has already fired one club out of the second tier.

The question now is simple: can Leanne Kiernan do it again, this time in black and white?