Football Ferns goalkeeper Anna Leat has signed a two-year deal with English Women’s Super League club Aston Villa.
The New Zealand international (21) joins the Villans from West Ham where she made her senior debut last season, one of four appearances for the Hammers across all competitions.
Arrowtown-born Leat achieved a high public profile in late 2018 when she scored the winning penalty at the FIFA U-17 World Cup against Japan to send New Zealand to the semi-finals. Her goal was voted the favourite sporting moment of the year at the 2018 Halberg Awards.
Leat played her youth football for Auckland clubs East Coast Bays and Glenfield Rovers.
Leat joins England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton at Villa.
She told the club’s website: “Aston Villa is an incredible club with a lot of history and it is an honour to join.
“The women’s game, and this league is in such an exciting place and I can’t wait to be a part of this team’s journey.”
Villa finished ninth in the 12-club WSL last season and their new campaign starts away at Brighton on September 11.
Main photo: Source Aston Villa FC.
More football stories
