Everton announce signing of Belgian midfielder Justine Vanhaevermaet

Everton Women’s team has boosted its ranks with the signing of Belgian international midfielder Justine Vanhaevermaet.

The 31-year-old joins the club on a two-year contract, extending till June 2025. This move follows her two-year stint with Reading in the English top-flight league.

The acquisition of Vanhaevermaet, who has an extensive playing experience across Belgium, Germany, and Norway, comes as Everton’s fourth summer signing, following Martina Piemonte, Emily Ramsey, and Emma Bissell.

Expressing her enthusiasm about joining the club, Vanhaevermaet said, “I’m so happy to be at Everton. This is a big club in English football and the women’s team has been progressing well over the past year. I hope I can help continue to improve that level and contribute to more success.”

Having played against Everton last season, Vanhaevermaet is confident that her playing style will complement manager Brian Sorensen’s approach.

She praised the team’s quality of football and expressed her excitement about working with Sorensen, emphasizing the importance of a positive coach-player connection.

Sorensen, the manager, reciprocated her sentiments, stating that Vanhaevermaet’s calm and composed presence would be a valuable asset to the younger players in the squad.

“Justine has shown a calm, composed presence during her time playing so far in England,” he told evertonfc.com.

“Justine really impressed me in the games she played against us last season and in other games when I watched her.

“She’s extremely mobile, can cover a lot of ground and be a threat both in defensive and offensive set-pieces.“

READ MORE

Isaac Price has explained why he rejected a contract offer from Everton in favour of moving to Standard Liege earlier this summer.

Price decided to call time on his 12-year stay at Everton toward the end of last season. Prior to his Goodison Park departure, the Northern Ireland international made three senior appearances, the last coming against Brighton & Hove Albion back in January.

The Blues sought to retain the midfielder but were unable to agree a new deal with him, with Price’s representatives making it clear that the 19-year-old, who has also represented England at youth level, believed the next stage of his development lay away from the club.

And now, opening up on the transfer ahead of Standard’s Belgian Pro League clash against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on Friday night, Price explained that the opportunity to test himself in a first-team environment for the first time in his career was one that he could not turn down.

He said: “Everton didn’t want me to leave. They wanted me to sign a new contract, but I was convinced of the idea of joining Les Rouches and taking a step forward for my career.

“I know that many players have passed through the club before joining major leagues, but my mind is at Standard, where I want to do things correctly before seeing further.

“I’ve hardly ever played in the first team before, so I have to understand the game and adapt to it. I felt it was the right time to take a big step in my career.

“It is a big opportunity for me to play regularly and progress in a first-team environment. I came to the stadium last season, and when I saw the fans, I really wanted to be part of the club.”