Newcastle United Target Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool

Newcastle United are closing in on a statement signing, with the club in advanced talks to bring Republic of Ireland forward Leanne Kiernan from Liverpool.

The 27-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, still has more than a year left on her Liverpool deal. Any agreement will require a fee, underlining how serious second-tier Newcastle are about building a squad capable of forcing their way into the elite.

Kiernan has been on Merseyside for five years, signing an extension in 2025, and her numbers tell the story of a player who delivers when trusted. She has scored 23 goals in 76 appearances for the Reds and was central to their surge back to the top flight, finishing as the club’s top scorer with 14 goals in their 2022 WSL 2 title-winning campaign.

That season showcased the full range of her game: direct running, sharp movement off the shoulder, and a ruthless edge in the box. It also confirmed her as one of the most reliable forwards in the division.

Her journey to Liverpool ran through West Ham, where she made more than 40 appearances in the WSL after emerging at Shelbourne. On the international stage, Kiernan has been a regular presence for the Republic of Ireland since her debut in 2017, earning 38 caps and offering consistent energy and work-rate across the front line.

Yet her role at Liverpool has shrunk. Under Gareth Taylor she has struggled for minutes, starting just once in the WSL before heading out to Forest in January in search of game time. The competition has only intensified this summer with the arrival of Germany forward Vivien Endemann from Wolfsburg, another clear signal that Liverpool’s attacking hierarchy is shifting.

Newcastle are ready to exploit that gap.

The club have already been busy in this window, with six new faces through the door as they gear up for a serious tilt at the WSL 2 title. Kiernan would not just be another body in the squad. She would bring proven end product, promotion experience and the kind of profile that instantly raises standards in the dressing room.

For a club with Newcastle’s ambition, this is exactly the sort of move that changes the conversation: from hopeful contenders to a side that expects to be in the fight when the season reaches its sharp end.