Newcastle United Target Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool
Newcastle United are in advanced talks to sign Republic of Ireland forward Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool in what would be one of the standout deals of the Championship summer.
The 27-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, still has more than a year left on her Liverpool contract. Any agreement will therefore require a fee, underlining how determined Newcastle are to land a proven top-flight goalscorer as they gear up for a promotion push.
Kiernan has been at Liverpool for five years and signed an extension in 2025, a spell that has brought 23 goals in 76 appearances and a central role in one of the club’s defining recent campaigns. She spearheaded their 2022 WSL 2 title win, finishing as the club’s top scorer with 14 goals and driving Matt Beard’s side back into the top tier.
That season showcased the version of Kiernan Newcastle hope to unlock: direct, relentless, and ruthless in front of goal.
Her pedigree runs deeper than Merseyside. Before joining Liverpool, she made more than 40 appearances for West Ham in the WSL after breaking through at Shelbourne, where her pace and work rate quickly marked her out as one of Ireland’s brightest young forwards. On the international stage, she has already collected 38 caps for the Republic of Ireland since her debut in 2017, offering versatility across the front line and a tireless pressing game.
Yet at Liverpool, opportunities have dried up. Under Gareth Taylor she has struggled for minutes, starting just once in the WSL last season before heading to Nottingham Forest in January in search of regular football. The route back into the Liverpool XI has only narrowed since, with the club strengthening their attack again this summer by bringing in Germany forward Vivien Endemann from Wolfsburg.
That shift has opened the door for Newcastle.
For the ambitious second-tier club, Kiernan would add not just depth but genuine bite to an already busy window. Six new signings have arrived as Newcastle build a squad designed not merely to compete in WSL 2, but to win it. Bringing in a forward with a title on her CV and a track record of delivering in promotion battles would send a clear signal to the rest of the division.
If Newcastle get this over the line, they won’t just be adding another name to a growing list of recruits. They’ll be landing a forward who knows exactly what it takes to drag a team out of the second tier and into the spotlight.
