First signing of the summer! Man Utd Women snap up Bayern Munich & Sweden midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme

Zigiotti arrives for an undisclosed fee and signs a two-year deal with the option for another season. It's a transfer that sees her return to England after just one season away, in which she played 25 games for Bayern and won a domestic treble. The Sweden midfielder, who was part of the team that lost in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals to England this summer, was not a regular starter for the German giants, though, and will hope to play a more important role in Manchester.

Prior to her time in Munich, Zigiotti, whose mother is Italian, spent two and a half seasons with Brighton, where she established herself as a dependable and consistent performer in the Women's Super League. A technically sound player with good vision and dribbling abilities, she adds to a competitive midfield department at United which already includes Ella Toone, Grace Clinton, Simi Awujo, Lisa Naalsund, Dominique Janssen, Hinata Miyazawa and Emma Watson.

Speaking upon the announcement of the move, Zigiotti said: "I am so happy to be here and so happy to get started and to join this family. I have been watching Manchester United in the last couple of years and, having seen what they have been doing, I am very impressed. They are a team that fits me and my style. Meeting the players has been great. They were like a family and it was a fantastic way to start."

Matt Johnson, the club's director of women’s football, added: "Julia is one of Europe’s best defensive midfielders who brings a winning mentality and experience of competing in the top competitions. On the pitch she has an insatiable work rate, ability to win possession back for her team and creative passing range. This is a player the fans will enjoy watching this season."

While Man Utd haven't been busy in signing players so far this summer, there have been a couple of outgoings. Ireland international defender Aoife Mannion departed on a free, joining Newcastle United, while academy product Alyssa Aherne signed for Sheffield United after her contract expired. There has been contract news for fans of the Red Devils, too, with Wales international Mared Griffiths putting pen to paper on her first pro deal while veteran striker Rachel Williams also signed a new one-year contract earlier this month.

United will hope to bolster the squad in other areas before their season begins earlier than most, in August. Marc Skinner's side are involved in Champions League qualifiers and they have been drawn in a tricky group, set to face PSV Eindhoven and, if victorious, likely to then take on a Hammarby side that made the group stages last term. That is just to get them through to the next qualifying round, where more giants of the European game will be involved. Zigiotti will hope to help her new team through the path unscathed to ensure fixtures in the Champions League proper are on United's schedule this coming season.