The North Carolina Courage have transferred midfielder and captain Denise O’Sullivan to Liverpool, ending her nearly nine-year tenure with the team. The transfer fee has not been disclosed.
O’Sullivan holds the record for most appearances for the Courage, with 186 across all competitions. She played a key role in the team winning three NWSL Shields and two NWSL Championships, along with two Challenge Cups. O’Sullivan joined the Courage in 2017 and contributed to the team’s successful run.
The Courage won three consecutive Shields from 2017 to 2019 and secured NWSL Championships in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, the team suffered only one loss in all competitions, claiming both league titles and the inaugural Women’s International Champions Cup.
“It’s hard to express what this club has meant to me,” O’Sullivan stated. “North Carolina will always be my home, and I’m grateful to everyone who supported me. I’m on to a new challenge, but I’ll always remain part of Courage Country. Thank you for everything.”
O’Sullivan joins Liverpool, currently struggling in the Women’s Super League, where they sit at the bottom with just 4 points after 12 games.
Liverpool, coached by Gareth Taylor, is facing the threat of relegation, as they are in the playoff spot, just ahead of West Ham with 5 points.
Rumors of a transfer to England had surrounded O’Sullivan in previous windows. She mentioned that the move is significant for her family, as they will now be closer.
An Ireland international midfielder, O’Sullivan helped her country qualify for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023.
She joined the Courage in 2017 after being picked up from the waiver wire when the Houston Dash released her mid-season. She quickly found success in North Carolina.
Before the 2023 season, O’Sullivan became the second captain in the franchise’s North Carolina era, which began with the Western New York Flash.
“Denise has been vital to this club and has helped shape the Courage way,” said Ceri Bowley, the Courage’s chief soccer officer. “Her leadership and the standards she set will be her legacy. While she will be missed, we support her desire to be closer to home and wish her well in her future endeavors.”
Before joining the NWSL, O’Sullivan played in Ireland and Scotland, where she also achieved notable success.
She participated in the UEFA Women’s Champions League with several clubs and was part of the Glasgow City squad that reached the quarterfinals in the 2014-15 season, marking a first for any Scottish team.
During her time at Glasgow City, the team won three straight Scottish league titles and numerous cups.
O’Sullivan also spent two loan spells in Australia during the NWSL offseason and played briefly in the Women’s Super League on loan to Brighton in 2020, allowing her to represent Ireland during challenging times globally.
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