Birmingham City Women Complete the Signing of Lisa Naalsund
Birmingham City Women have strengthened their squad ahead of the new Barclays Women’s Super League season with the signing of experienced Norway international midfielder Lisa Naalsund from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee.
The 30-year-old arrives at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park with a wealth of top-level experience, having enjoyed success in both Norway and England. She becomes another significant addition to Amy Merricks’ squad as Blues continue to build a team capable of competing in the Women’s Super League following promotion.
Speaking after completing the move, Naalsund revealed that Birmingham City’s ambitious project was a major factor in her decision.
“When I had the chats with the club, they just gave me instantly a very good feeling about it. It’s a really good project here and I feel like the future can be quite bright. I’m very excited to be a part of it,” she said.
Who is Lisa Naalsund?
Born on 11 June 1995 in Norway, Lisa Naalsund established herself as one of the country’s finest midfielders before making the move to Manchester United in January 2023 from Norwegian side SK Brann.
Before joining Brann, she spent seven successful seasons with Arna-Bjørnar, developing into one of the Toppserien’s standout performers. During her time in Norway she won league titles, domestic honours and gained valuable UEFA Women’s Champions League experience.
Her consistent performances also earned regular international recognition with Norway, where she has become an important member of the national team.
Style of Play
Naalsund is a versatile central midfielder who is comfortable playing as either a number eight or in a deeper midfield role.
Her biggest strengths include:
- Excellent passing range and ball retention.
- High football intelligence and tactical awareness.
- Strong work rate both in and out of possession.
- Ability to dictate the tempo of a match.
- Late runs into the penalty area from midfield.
- Calmness under pressure and excellent decision-making.
Although not an explosive player, Naalsund’s positioning, vision and technical ability allow her to control games. She is equally comfortable helping build attacks from deep or supporting the forwards higher up the pitch.
Defensively, she presses intelligently, reads the game well and consistently helps regain possession, making her an ideal fit for modern possession-based football.
Career Statistics
Naalsund arrives with an impressive body of work accumulated over more than a decade at senior level.
- Club appearances: 327
- Club goals: 61
- Manchester United: 74 appearances, 8 goals
- Norway international: 37 caps, 2 goals
During her spell at Manchester United she helped the club lift the Women’s FA Cup and regularly featured in Women’s Super League and UEFA Women’s Champions League competition, providing valuable experience that Birmingham City’s young squad can benefit from. [oai_citation:1‡Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Naalsund?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
What Will She Bring to Birmingham City?
Lisa Naalsund’s arrival represents another statement of intent from Birmingham City Women.
The Blues are assembling a squad with genuine top-flight experience, and Naalsund’s leadership qualities could prove just as valuable as her technical ability. Having played at international level and competed in major domestic competitions, she understands the demands of elite football.
Her composure on the ball should help Birmingham control possession more effectively, while her experience could prove invaluable in guiding some of the club’s younger players through the challenges of a demanding WSL campaign.
With Millie Turner also arriving from Manchester United, Amy Merricks has added two players who know exactly what it takes to compete at the highest level.
BCFC Fanzine Verdict
On paper, this looks like an outstanding piece of business by Birmingham City Women.
Naalsund may not always grab the headlines, but she is exactly the type of intelligent, hard-working midfielder every successful side needs. Her experience, composure and tactical understanding should add balance to the Blues midfield while also bringing invaluable leadership to the dressing room.
If she settles quickly, Birmingham City supporters could soon discover they have signed one of the smartest midfield operators in the Women’s Super League.