Denise O'Sullivan leaves Liverpool for Gotham FC after six months
Republic of Ireland midfielder Denise O'Sullivan is leaving Liverpool just six months after her club-record £300,000 transfer, returning to the NWSL with Gotham FC on an initial one-year loan with an obligation to buy. The 32-year-old made 13 appearances for Liverpool, helping them reach the FA Cup semi-finals. Her departure, cited as personal, is a blow to Liverpool’s rebuilding plans. Gotham FC, already at the salary cap, also recently signed Sam Kerr.
Editorial summary awaiting refresh
Cross-source coverage
Wire timeline
Record signing Denise O'Sullivan leaves Liverpool for Gotham FC after six months
Liverpool's club record signing Denise O'Sullivan has left the club just six months after joining, moving to NWSL side Gotham FC on an initial one-year loan with an obligation to buy. The 32-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder joined Liverpool in January for £300,000 and made 13 appearances, helping the team reach the Women's FA Cup semi-finals. Her departure is a major disappointment for Liverpool, who are rebuilding after a poor 2025-26 season. Sources say Liverpool will receive a large fee. O'Sullivan cited excitement about joining Gotham's winning culture and ambition. The move is believed to be personal, as she spent nine seasons in the US with North Carolina Courage, captaining the side and making over 150 appearances. She has 132 caps for Ireland and played a key role in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
BBC SportLiverpool record signing Denise O'Sullivan leaves for Gotham FC after six months
Liverpool's club record signing Denise O'Sullivan has left the club just six months after joining, moving to NWSL side Gotham FC on an initial one-year loan with an obligation to buy. The 32-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder joined Liverpool in January for £300,000 and made 13 appearances, helping the team reach the Women's FA Cup semi-finals. Her departure is a major disappointment for Liverpool, who are rebuilding after a poor 2025-26 season. Sources say Liverpool will receive a large fee. O'Sullivan cited personal reasons for the move, having spent nine seasons in the US with North Carolina Courage, where she made over 150 appearances and captained the side. She has 132 caps for Ireland and played a key role in their World Cup qualifying campaign. Liverpool recently signed England goalkeeper Khiara Keating from Manchester City.
BBC SportDenise O'Sullivan set to leave Liverpool six months after joining
Liverpool's club record signing Denise O'Sullivan is expected to leave the club this summer, just six months after her £300,000 transfer from the NWSL. The Republic of Ireland international, who joined in January 2026, is reportedly seeking a return to the United States for personal reasons, with Gotham FC the frontrunners to sign her. The deal may involve an initial one-year loan with an obligation-to-buy clause. O'Sullivan, 32, made 13 appearances for Liverpool, including nine in the league, and helped the team reach the Women's FA Cup semi-finals. Her departure is a significant blow to Liverpool's summer rebuilding plans, especially after also failing to make goalkeeper Jennifer Falk's loan permanent. Liverpool have made three signings so far but losing O'Sullivan, who spent nine seasons with North Carolina Courage and has 132 caps for Ireland, is a major setback.
BBC SportDenise O'Sullivan set to leave Liverpool six months after joining
Liverpool's club record signing Denise O'Sullivan is expected to leave the club this summer, just six months after joining in January for £300,000. The Republic of Ireland international is likely to return to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), with Gotham FC as favourites to sign her. The 32-year-old midfielder made 13 appearances for Liverpool, including nine in the league, and helped the team reach the Women's FA Cup semi-finals. Reports suggest the move could involve an initial one-year loan with an obligation-to-buy clause. Liverpool are in positive discussions with O'Sullivan and Gotham and expect to receive a large fee. O'Sullivan's decision is believed to be personal, as she seeks a return to the United States where she spent nine seasons with North Carolina Courage, making over 150 appearances and captaining the side. Her departure is a blow to Liverpool's summer plans, along with the failure to make goalkeeper Jennifer Falk's loan permanent.
BBC SportDenise O'Sullivan set to leave Liverpool six months after record signing
Liverpool's club record signing Denise O'Sullivan is expected to leave the club just six months after joining in January 2026 for £300,000. The Republic of Ireland international, who made 13 appearances and helped the team reach the FA Cup semi-finals, is likely to return to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), with Gotham FC as favorites. Reports suggest a one-year loan with an obligation-to-buy clause. O'Sullivan's decision is reportedly personal, as she seeks a return to the United States where she spent nine seasons with North Carolina Courage. Liverpool, who are rebuilding after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, will receive a large fee but face setbacks with O'Sullivan's departure and the failure to make goalkeeper Jennifer Falk's loan permanent.
BBC SportDenise O'Sullivan Set for NWSL Return, Signing with Gotham FC
Gotham FC is leading the race to sign Irish midfielder Denise O'Sullivan on loan from Liverpool for a €350,000 fee with an obligation to buy, according to reports from the Irish Times and ESPN. The 32-year-old, who spent nine years with the North Carolina Courage and won multiple NWSL Shields and Championships, left the NWSL in January for a six-month stint at Liverpool, which ended with the team finishing second-to-last in the WSL. The contract would run through 2029 with a 2030 player option. O'Sullivan's potential return coincides with fellow veteran Sam Kerr's return to Gotham this month on a free transfer from Chelsea. The high-profile signings have raised discussions about Gotham's payroll, which is currently at the $3.7 million salary cap maximum, though the High Impact Player rule allows additional spending. The NWSL international transfer window opens Monday, and O'Sullivan could debut against the Washington Spirit on Tuesday.
Yardbarker: Soccer