Newcastle Targeting Liverpool Striker Leanne Kiernan
Newcastle United are in advanced talks to prise Republic of Ireland forward Leanne Kiernan away from Liverpool in a deal that underlines the club’s intent to storm the WSL 2 promotion race.
The 27-year-old still has more than a year left on her Liverpool contract, so any agreement will require a fee – a significant statement from a second-tier side targeting a proven top-flight goalscorer rather than a project for the future.
Proven scorer on the move
Kiernan has spent five years at Liverpool, signing an extension in 2025 and helping drive the club’s climb back into the elite. She struck 23 goals in 76 appearances for the Reds, her standout campaign coming in 2021-22 when she finished as the club’s top scorer with 14 goals and powered them to the WSL 2 title.
Those numbers were no surprise to anyone who had watched her earlier in England. Before Liverpool, she made more than 40 appearances for West Ham in the WSL, having first broken through at Shelbourne and quickly earned a reputation as a relentless runner with a sharp eye for goal.
At international level, Kiernan has been a regular presence for the Republic of Ireland since her debut in 2017, amassing 38 caps and offering versatility across the front line.
Squeezed out at Liverpool
Her situation on Merseyside has shifted. Under Liverpool boss Gareth Taylor, Kiernan has struggled for minutes, starting just once in the WSL last season before heading out on loan to Nottingham Forest in January for the second half of the campaign.
Competition has only intensified. Liverpool have strengthened their attacking options again this summer with the arrival of Germany forward Vivien Endemann from Wolfsburg, pushing Kiernan further down the pecking order.
For a forward entering her prime years, watching from the bench is not an option.
Newcastle’s intent is clear
Newcastle have sensed the opportunity. The club have already had a busy window, bringing in six new faces as they build a squad designed not merely to compete, but to win the WSL 2 title.
Kiernan would add something different: a forward with a track record of delivering in promotion battles, used to the pressure of expectation and the grind of a long season. She knows what it takes to drag a side out of the second tier. She has done it once with Liverpool.
If Newcastle complete the deal, they will be landing a player with experience at Shelbourne, West Ham, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and on the international stage – and a striker with something to prove.
For Kiernan, the move offers a route back to regular football and a central role. For Newcastle, it could be the signing that turns ambition into reality.
