Aston Villa Women have landed a major coup in the transfer market with the signing of Norway international midfielder Justine Kielland from Wolfsburg. This game-changing move brings a massive injection of quality and experience into the Villa squad, just as they're gearing up for the Women's Super League season – and it's set to get fans' pulses racing.
Kielland, a 23-year-old defensive midfielder with 16 caps for Norway, has been on a meteoric rise through the Norwegian ranks. She began her career at Stabaek before breaking into the big time with Brann in 2023, where she played a starring role in their run to the Women's Champions League quarter-finals, netting four goals in 12 appearances. That form earned her a move to Wolfsburg in 2024 – and now she's ready to take on English football.
Kielland can't wait to get started: "It's an amazing feeling. I'm really excited to be here now. Putting on the Villa jersey for the first time feels brilliant, and I'm raring to go!" She's also relishing the challenge of competing in the Women's Super League – a league that's rapidly closing the gap with Europe's top clubs. "I'm looking forward to the competitiveness in England," she said. "You can see every team is getting better and the league is taking massive strides, so I'm really excited to test myself here too."
The Villa players have clearly played their part in enticing Kielland to join the club – and one of them has been Lynn Wilms. Kielland revealed that a chat with Lynn was instrumental in sealing her decision: "I spoke to Lynn and she only had positive things to say about the club. Every person I've spoken to has said great things, so I'm really looking forward to getting started."
This transfer is a masterstroke for Aston Villa Women, bringing in a player with Champions League experience and international credentials who can make an instant impact on the pitch. Kielland's ability to contribute both defensively and in attack will be invaluable as Villa aim to push their way up the Women's Super League table.