LONDON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Arsenal have completed the signing of Canadian female footballer Olivia Smith from Liverpool for a reported world-record fee of 1 million pounds (about 1.34 million US dollars).

"We are delighted to announce the signing of Canada international Olivia Smith on a long-term contract," Arsenal said in a statement.

Although the Champions League holders did not disclose the fee, local media reports confirm the figure to be 1 million pounds - breaking the previous women's transfer record set by Chelsea in January, when they signed U.S. defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave for 900,000 pounds.

Smith, 20, signed her first professional contract with Sporting Clube in Portugal in July 2023. She made an immediate impact, scoring and assisting once on her debut, and went on to register 16 goals in 28 appearances during the 2023/24 season.

"It's a privilege and an honour to sign for Arsenal," said Smith. "It's my dream to compete for the biggest titles here in England and in Europe, and I'm excited to get started and contribute to achieving that with Arsenal."

Arsenal Women's Head Coach Renee Slegers said: "Olivia is an exciting young player, and we believe she can make a big contribution here at Arsenal."

"We've been impressed by her mentality and character, excelling in two European leagues at such a young age. I know she has a level of ambition that matches our own, and we're looking forward to working with her as she continues to grow at the club," she added. ■