Newcastle Targets Liverpool Forward Leanne Kiernan for Key Signing

Newcastle United are closing on a marquee attacking signing, with talks at an advanced stage to bring Republic of Ireland forward Leanne Kiernan in from Liverpool.

The 27-year-old, who has a year left on her Liverpool deal, would command a fee, a clear sign of intent from a second-tier club intent on accelerating their rise. Newcastle want goals, experience and edge. Kiernan offers all three.

A Proven Scorer on the Move

Kiernan has spent five years on Merseyside, scoring 23 goals in 76 appearances for Liverpool and leaving a clear imprint on the club’s recent history. Her standout campaign came in 2021-22, when she drove Liverpool to the WSL 2 title and finished as their top scorer with 14 league goals. That season underlined her value: relentless running, sharp movement, and a ruthless streak in front of goal.

Before Liverpool, she had already shown she could handle the top flight. Over 40 appearances for West Ham in the WSL built her reputation as a hard-working, direct forward who never shies away from the physical side of the game. Long before that, at Shelbourne, she marked herself out as one of Ireland’s brightest attacking prospects.

On the international stage, Kiernan has been a regular presence for the Republic of Ireland since her debut in 2017, earning 38 caps. She brings not just club experience, but the composure that comes from playing in high-pressure fixtures for her country.

Stalled at Liverpool, Hungry for Minutes

For all her pedigree, Kiernan’s Liverpool story has stalled. Under Gareth Taylor she struggled for minutes, starting just once in the WSL last season before heading out on loan to Nottingham Forest in January.

That loan was about game time and rhythm, a chance to show she still had the sharpness and hunger that made her such a key figure in Liverpool’s promotion push. Back at Anfield, the pathway has only narrowed. Germany forward Vivien Endemann has arrived from Wolfsburg to bolster Liverpool’s front line, adding more competition in an already crowded attacking unit.

Something had to give. For Kiernan, a move now looks less like a gamble and more like a necessity.

Newcastle’s Ambition Made Clear

Newcastle, meanwhile, are not behaving like a club content to tread water in the second tier. Six new signings have already come through the door this window as they gear up for a serious tilt at the WSL 2 title.

Kiernan would be the headline act of that rebuild: a forward with a proven scoring record, promotion experience and international pedigree. She offers depth, yes, but also a focal point and a standard. Players who have dragged teams over the line in title races tend to change dressing rooms.

Newcastle want to climb. Kiernan wants to play. If the deal is completed, both ambitions collide in a way that could reshape the promotion race.