Everton Women have officially secured the permanent signing of experienced English defender Hannah Blundell. The 31-year-old former Chelsea and Manchester United full-back returns to Merseyside on a full contract following the expiry of her deal at United. Blundell previously spent the second half of the 2025/26 Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) season on loan at Goodison Park, establishing herself as a vital pillar in the club’s late-season resurgence.
The Goodison Reunion: Why Blundell Made the Move Permanent
Blundell made 10 appearances during her loan spell on Merseyside, helping Everton string together four consecutive league victories and secure an eighth-placed finish. A key highlight of her spell included providing the decisive assist for Honoka Hayashi’s winning goal against West Ham at Goodison Park.
The key catalyst behind her decision to stay was the confirmation of Scott Phelan as Everton's permanent head coach following his successful interim tenure.
Hannah Blundell on returning to Everton: "I am really happy. It is a proud moment for me and my family. As soon as I knew Scott was going to be the manager, it was an easy decision for me to stay. I am really excited to get going... Goodison is such an iconic stadium, and to play our home games here is so special."
Building for the 2026/27 Campaign
Blundell becomes part of an ambitious summer recruitment drive under Scott Phelan and Technical Director Nick Cox. The Blues have already added attacking talent in Jutta Rantala, Noémie Mouchon, Hannah Cain, and Holly McNamara, alongside securing permanent deals for Zara Kramžar and contract extensions for Megan Finnigan and Aurora Galli.
Technical Director Nick Cox on the Signing: "Hannah felt at home at Everton during her loan spell with us last season. She was an important part of the progress made since Scott took charge, and with her quality and vast experience, we are looking forward to her helping us continue that momentum."
Retaining Blundell gives Everton elite full-back depth, tactical flexibility, and champion-level composure in high-pressure matches. Her ability to drive forward on the overlap while maintaining defensive discipline will be critical as Scott Phelan aims to push Everton into top-half WSL contention this season.
