Liverpool FC Women have bolstered their squad with the acquisition of promising attacking midfielder Mao Itamura from Dutch club Feyenoord. The 19-year-old Japanese international becomes the fifth new face to join Gareth Taylor's side this summer, arriving with a growing reputation after an impressive season in the Netherlands.
Itamura's move to Merseyside follows a stellar 2025-26 campaign where she was crowned the Women's Eredivisie Player of the Season. During her time at Feyenoord, she netted eight goals and provided six assists, playing a pivotal role in helping the club achieve European qualification for the first time in their history. Her performances also saw her feature in the Japan Under-20s squad that secured the Women's Asian Cup in April.
The young midfielder expressed her delight at the move, stating, "It's a league and a club that was one of my goals [to join]. I'm happy to be here." She added, "When I started playing soccer, one of my goals was to become a professional footballer. When I reached that goal, I wanted to play for my favourite team. I'm really happy to have the opportunity to play in Liverpool, which is a big club."
Itamura, who will wear the number 26 shirt, began her career at JFA Academy Fukushima in Japan before making the switch to Feyenoord in January 2025. Her arrival comes as a direct replacement for Republic of Ireland international Denise O'Sullivan, who recently departed for Gotham FC on an initial loan deal. She joins fellow new signings Vivien Endemann, Sara Agrez, Mari Ward, and Khiara Keating as Liverpool prepare for the upcoming season.
This latest transfer signals Liverpool's intent to strengthen their squad depth and inject youthful talent ahead of the new Women's Super League campaign. Itamura's proven ability to create and score goals, coupled with her recent individual accolades, suggests she could become a key player for the Reds as they aim to compete at the top level of English women's football.