Everton have announced that Toni Duggan will leave the club when her contract expires at the end of this month. The forward is departing after her second spell at the club, having started her career at Everton in 2007-08 before rejoining in July 2021.

During her return season, Duggan appeared in all but one of Everton’s matches. However, she missed the entirety of the following season due to maternity leave, making her comeback last October.

Duggan, now 32, first broke into Everton’s first team at the age of 16, famously scoring an extra-time winner against Watford to send the club into the Premier League Cup final. In her initial spell, she was named FA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2009 and lifted the FA Women’s Cup in 2010.

Over her two spells with the Toffees, Duggan played 92 games and scored 29 goals. Reflecting on her departure, Alan McTavish, Everton Women’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Everyone at Everton thanks Toni for her service and commitment to the club. From breaking into the senior team as a 16-year-old to winning the FA Cup, she can be very proud of her contribution to Everton. We wish Toni all the best for the future.”

Beyond Everton, Duggan has had an illustrious career, playing for Manchester City, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, while also earning 79 England caps. She was a key part of the England side that finished third in the 2015 Women’s World Cup, beating Germany in the third-place play-off.

Alan McTavish reiterated the club’s gratitude: “Everyone at Everton thanks Toni for her service and commitment to the club. From breaking into the senior team as a 16-year-old to winning the FA Cup, she can be very proud of her contribution to Everton.”

Duggan’s second stint at Everton, starting in 2021, saw her play almost every match of the season. In March 2023, she gave birth to her daughter, Luella. Duggan’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in her career, but her impact on Everton and women’s football remains indelible.