FA WSL News: Everton sign Jill Scott on loan from Manchester City

It’s official! Everton have completed the loan signing of England legend Jill Scott from Manchester City; her loan spell is set to end at the conclusion of the 2020/21 WSL season.

Scott returns to Walton Hall Park after having spent seven years with the club from 2006–2013. Over the course of her time with the Toffees, Scott was an integral member of the teams that won the Premier League Cup in 2007/08 and the FA Women’s Cup in 2009/10 — the last time Everton won the competition.

After joining Everton at 19 from Sunderland, Scott went on to make 114 appearances and score 21 goals, as a defensive midfielder. Scott came to define Everton’s team in the late 2000s and early 2010s. After a prolific career with the Toffees, Scott signed with Super League giants Manchester City.

Since 2013, Scott has played in 104 for the Manchester outfit, scoring 18 times. With City, Scott has hoisted the Women’s Super League title (2016), the FA Women’s Cup (2016/17, 2018/19, 2019/20) and the WSL Continental Cup (2014, 2016, 2018/19).

Scott also has been capped 149 times with England’s senior team and netted 25 times for the Lionesses. Scott trails only Fara Williams (172) in all-time appearances for her national team. Scott has suited up for the Lionesses at four World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) and was vital to England’s advancement to the semifinals in 2015 and 2019. She also was a member of the England side that finished as runners-up at the 2009 European Championships and represented Great Britain at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

With Damaris Egurrola signing on Wednesday for Olympique Lyonnais, Everton were in need of a replacement central defensive midfielder. With Scott, the Toffees get a player who is familiar with the club and is a perennial winner. Whether it is in the domestic domain or on the international stage, Scott has excelled in her role as one of the smartest midfielders in the world; her guile, creativity and dedication to preparation have allowed her to play for over two decades.

And with Scott featuring only eight times for City this season — a crowded midfield limited her minutes — one of the most decorated players in the women’s game should immediately slot into Everton’s starting XI.

Look for Scott, who is eligible to play on Sunday when Everton travel to London to face Tottenham, to work with the younger players at Everton, improving not only the training atmosphere at Walton Hall but also farthing developing the winning mentality the team has been cultivating in recent seasons.

Speaking on the signing, Everton manager Willie Kirk said: “I am delighted to be able to bring Jill back to the club. She was a pivotal figure at Everton when the Women’s Super League was first formed and went on to become a significant part of Manchester City establishing themselves as one of the top clubs in this country.”

“Her achievements in the game are incredible, and that was recognized with her MBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours list,” Kirk continued. “She is very excited to join us and I expect her to challenge and raise our standards, adding to the good work we are doing. It may only be a loan deal until the end of the season but I feel she can have a long-term impact to the journey that we are currently on.”