NSL Transfer Window Opens July 20
The first summer transfer window in the Northern Super League matters—teams have clear gaps, and a lot of top players weren’t available until now. It’s the first real chance to build out their rosters and shift the balance across the league.
There have already been 5 signings and 2 departures:
Tiffany Cameron and Amanda Allen sign for Halifax
Cameron, a veteran Jamaican international from Mississauga, returns from a 16-year pro career abroad. She is a versatile attacking player who can play both centrally and out wide.
20-yo Amanda Allen, also from Mississauga, joins on loan from Orlando Pride. The talented winger was a captain for the CanW20s in 2024 and will add another dimension to the Tides’ attack.
Sarah Stratigakis, Zoe Burns, and Lauren Rowe sign for Toronto, Ashouri departs
Stratigakis signed for her hometown club after impressing in stints with Vittsjo, Bristol, and Saint Etienne. The 26-yo has 5 caps and can play as a midfielder or forward.
Burns, a former CanW20 standout, joins from French club Fleury. The 23-yo defender made 21 appearances for Utah in 2024 and is expected to play as either a wingback or midfielder.
21-yo Midfielder Lauren Rowe signs after impressing with AFCT’s unofficial affiliate, North Toronto, in League 1 Ontario. The Newfoundlander has played for Cape Breton since 2023.
Ashouri departed the club by mutual decision earlier in June, Amanda West returned to Houston following her injury, and Leah Pais and Sonia Walk were both placed on the season-ending injury list.
Olivia Mbala signs with Montreal
Olivia Mbala’s homecoming is another emblematic one. Originally from Toronto, she’s played in France since 2015. A decade later, the 33-yo central defender gets to play in front of friends and family for the first time.
Griffith departs Calgary
The forward was on a short-term loan from Chicago, and here for a good time, not a long time. She played 6 games with the Wild and contributed 2 assists.
The number 1, 2, and 6 teams have already made some pretty big moves. You can expect more movement in the coming weeks as teams look to address gaps in their rosters. Let’s take a look at each team’s needs:
Halifax
CM
Gunny has a lot of responsibility in midfield and while defender Lemire has looked good beside her, a dynamic box-to-box midfielder with quality could help fill a key gap in the Tides’ squad. Guay and Creighton have potential but neither has been fully convincing in the 8 role.
CF/False 9
Nakamura has looked good in recent games, but has also missed a number of key chances. With more speed arriving on the wing in Amanda Allen, a false 9 who makes smart runs into the box and consistently scores would be a gamechanger.
Toronto
CB
It’s probably the only area that Toronto has not been thriving in through the first 10 games. It was always clear that the team’s attacking style would at times leave the back open. That being said, AFCT is still searching for a true leader in the backline.
WB
Not sure how Colby Barnett is still okay after playing all 900 minutes at left wingback so far this season. Zoe Burns' addition will help, but she’ll also be needed to give Nikki Small some rest on the right side following Ashouri’s departure. Another experienced wingback would go a long way in providing the depth required for a Championship push.
Vancouver
RB
14 goals conceded in 10 games, and a -5 goal differential isn’t good enough. The Rise have been susceptible, especially down their right side. Wright has played most games but hasn’t always looked confident against the ball. The Rise need to sign someone who can match Jasmyne Spencer’s output on the left side.
CB
Shannon Woeller’s been a constant and leads the league in touches and passes, but the left centerback spot is far from set. Cowart, Faulknor, and Young have all played there at different points in the season, but have also struggled with injuries. The Rise have an opportunity to sign another CB this window, to help Woeller or facilitate a formation change.
Calgary
CB
You saw right away that when Moore and/or Roelfsma are out, Calgary doesn’t have enough coverage in central defense. Tilly James also got hurt, so Ally Green filled in, but you need her on the left. O’Neill also jumped and Talia White made her debut in week 9. Moore is on her 4th yellow and may soon be serving a suspension.
FWD
With Sarah Griffiths finishing her short-term loan from Chicago, the Wild have an additional international spot open to sign a forward. While young guns T. Stewart and Thurton have done well on the wings, Kahli Johnson’s absence was felt while she was dealing with an injury. Someone with a goal-scoring pedigree who can play centrally or across the front three would be ideal.
Ottawa
CB/FB
Jylissa Harris and Liv Scott make up the best CB duo in the league right now, hands down. Choo and Adamek have played nearly every minute at fullback, contributing to a back line that has been difficult to break down. Susanne Haaland has been the fifth player up, and Nicola Golen had a decent performance at LB, but is more dangerous higher up the pitch. Another addition could add another dimension to the Rapid’s stellar defense.
CM
When Desi Scott and Ellen Gibson weren’t on the pitch, the Rapid’s gameplan was not nearly as effective. Choo was a decent back-up option but moving her centrally left the left side vulnerable. Most of the midfielders in the Rapid’s squad are more offensive - Benati, Belzile, etc and teenager Lofthouse is not ready for a lead role yet. Miranda Smith is the only other CDM in the squad.
Montreal
CM
Bilbault and Hess are in the conversations for midfield duo of the season so far. They both bring the intensity needed to maintain a vicious midfield press, and make very few mistakes on the ball, too. When Bilbault was out with a concussion you immediately saw the effects on the pitch. There’s no guarantee that the 35-yo stays healthy all year, especially if she continues to play 85+ minutes per game on average.
LM/RM
Noemi Paquin and Megane Sauve have been outstanding for Montreal in their hybrid midfield/attacking roles in the classic 4-4-2 formation. Both have played over 800 minutes. Latifah Abdu also played there at times, but looked most dangerous up front when combining with Boychuk. There’s been a bit of a drop in quality when coach Rositoiu has gone to the bench so it could be an area to target this transfer window.
Now that we have a good sense of what type of reinforcements clubs need, let’s take a look at what Canadians are on the market.
Here’s my top 8 players available:
Deanne Rose
D Rose needs no introduction. The 26-yo Canadian forward is out of contract after two seasons at Leicester and recently changed agencies. She simply hasn’t been the same since tearing her achilles a few years back, and has suffered other minor injuries since then. Now out of the NT picture, she’ll need a move to a club where she can 1. Play as many minutes as possible, and 2. Start scoring again. Why not the NSL? In terms of clubs that could use her, Calgary and Halifax could both be good landing spots.
Shelina Zadorsky
Centerbacks are in need league-wide in the NSL, and Shelina Zadorsky is the cream of the crop, the best Canadian defender on the market. The 32-yo still has West Ham in her bio, but has yet to sign a new deal with the Hammers. A left-footed CB is always in demand and Shelina could sign at any NSL club but in particular Vancouver and Toronto could be good fits, though you do wonder how Toronto has any cap space left.
Marie Levasseur
Recently back in favour with the national team, Marie Levasseur is the only true fullback in my top 10. She captained Montpellier last season and had her most productive year yet, which put her back in NT contention. Based on my understanding, her contract with MHSC is up this summer. The 28-yo will want to remain in contention for CanWNT selection, so the NSL is an option. She’d be a good fit in Vancouver as it’s the only starting fullback spot up for grabs in the league at the moment.
Chandra Davidson
Davidson scored 10 goals and added 8 assists in 1.5 seasons with Benfica. Her end of year IG post was vague as to whether she’d be returning to the Portuguese club. The 27-yo forward from Stoney Creek, ON has had a successful pro career, primarily in Portugal and the Netherlands. If she wants to return home, most NSL clubs would be happy to have her, but Calgary may have the biggest positional need. Adding someone of Davidson’s quality could help diversify their attack, plus she’d reunite with friend Farkunda Muhtaj who she played with at Fortuna Sittard.
Amandine Pierre Louis
The 30-yo Montreal-born versatile midfielder/defender is out of contract following a 2-year stint with Saint Etienne. She is represented by Montreal-based agency AMA, who represent a number of NSL stars. The Haitian international has been on the road since going to college at West Virginia nearly 12 years ago. She recently had the chance to play at home in Stade Saputo and could be a perfect fit for the Montreal Roses, who would benefit from adding another dynamic wide midfielder.
Easther Mayi Kith
Another Quebec-born player who attended West Virginia and recently played for Saint-Etienne, has already formally announced her departure from ASSE via Instagram - “After much consideration, I’ve made the difficult decision to pursue a totally different adventure elswhere!”. The 28yo defender who can play across the backline suits up for Cameroon on the international stage. She has played primarily in France since 2019, and has had stints in England and Sweden. The versatile player would be a great addition to any team searching for a reliable center-back or full-back, especially Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, or Calgary.
Tiana Harris
Harris is a 25-yo centreback from Whitby, ON. She had a stellar college career with Kent State before signing with Minnesota in the USL-W and penning her first pro contract with Fleury (France) in 2023. She made the move to Portugal’s SF Damaiense last summer. In her first season, she made 29 appearances and scored 4 goals. She also ranked among the top 10 Liga BPI defenders in stats such as average pass length, counterpress recoveries, offensive and defensive duels, and dribbling. Harris would be an asset for any club who’d have her and has stated publicly that she has ambitions to represent Jamaica on the international stage.
Pilar Khoury
The 30-yo forward from Ottawa plays for Strasbourg at club level and represents Lebanon internationally. She spent 9 seasons in France after graduating from the Ottawa Gee Gees program in 2016. Until recently, she held the Gee Gees record for goals scored (58). As a pro, she scored 46 goals for clubs like Albi, Grenoble, Saint Etienne, Nantes, and Strasbourg, primarily in the second division. She can play both as an out-and-out number 9 or play a deeper playmaking role. She would be a great fit for Halifax, who could use a player of her quality, though a return home to Ottawa would also be fun to see.