Southampton have completed the signing of forward Rianna Dean on a free transfer.
FAWSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Saints this afternoon.
Dean moves to St Mary’s Stadium after recently leaving Crystal Palace. The player spent one year with The Eagles in which she scored two goals in 11 Barclays Women’s Championship appearances. Dean would have made a greater contribution for the South Londoners if not for a long-term injury.
When at her best, Dean is one of the most clinical finishers in the second tier. She has twice won promotion from the Barclays Women’s Championship to the top flight. The player was a runner-up with Tottenham Hotspur in 2018/2019 while she won the league title with Liverpool in 2021/2022. Dean has 24 goals in 47 appearances in the second tier in total and new club Southampton are undoubtedly acquiring the services of a top player.
After signing on with The Saints, Dean said “I’m really excited to be here. From those first conversations with Marieanne (Spacey-Cale), the ambition of the club and the integration of the women’s team in the club as a whole – I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be. Marieanne played at those top levels and there’s so much I can learn from her. I can’t wait to get started.”
Dean is Southampton’s second signing of the summer transfer window.