Toni Payne joins Everton after six years with Sevilla

• Toni Payne leaves Spain for England
• The attacking midfielder, 29, becomes Everton's first signing of the summer

Everton Women have signed Nigeria international Toni Payne, who spent the last six years with Sevilla in Spain's top-flight league.

The 29-year-old forward scored 30 goals in 169 appearances in the Spanish Liga F. Before her time in Spain, Payne also played for Dutch club Ajax.

On the international stage, Payne has earned 21 caps for Nigeria. She was part of the Nigerian squad that competed in last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“I’m super excited to be an Everton player,” Payne told Evertontv. “It’s been my dream to play in the UK and in such a strong league like the WSL. Now was the right moment for me to look for another challenge to push myself.”

During the World Cup, Nigeria faced the Republic of Ireland, where Payne competed against two of her new Everton teammates, Heather Payne and Courtney Brosnan.

Brian Sørensen, discussing his first signing of the transfer window, told evertonfc.com: “I’m extremely happy to bring Toni to the club. She is exactly the type of player we need.

"I’m 100-percent confident Toni can fit right into our team and into this league because she has a wealth of experience from Spain but also for the Nigeria national team.

"She can play multiple positions and is an intelligent player who is really fast. A player without any injury history, too, so we are confident she will be a big success for us."

Toni Payne is currently with the Nigeria Super Falcons in France, preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.