Gareth Taylor lands a major coup as England international and former WSL Golden Glove winner Khiara Keating seals a permanent blockbuster transfer to Liverpool.
Make no mistake about it, this is an absolute brilliant piece of business for Liverpool FC Women. Sealing a transfer for a fully-fledged England international and former Women Super League Golden Glove winner on a free transfer from the reigning double-winners is the exact definition of a statement signing.
When Gareth Taylor took the reins at Liverpool Women, these were exactly the types of high-stakes moves fans hoped to see.
The hierarchy on Merseyside are clearly backing the women manager, and in landing a player of this calibre, they have signaled that they are no longer content with just competing after a disastorous 2025/26 campaign which saw them scrape survival in the league and they want to disrupt the very top of the table and aim higher than the previous campaign.
Khiara Keating is precisely the profile the Reds should be targeting. She is just 22 years old, immensely talented, and already possesses the kind of elite, trophy-winning pedigree that you simply can't buy.
Crucially, the deeply rooted history and tactical understanding she shares with Taylor means there will be no awkward transition phase.
She knows his methods inside out, she fits his playing style like a glove, and she will hit the ground running from day one. It is a flawless bit of business that injects genuine star power into the squad ahead of what promises to be a massive campaign.
Keating's arrival marks the fourth new face to walk through the doors on Merseyside in what is fast becoming a highly productive and ambitious summer window for the club.
Despite still being in the dawn of her professional career, the goalkeeper arrives at the AXA Melwood Training Centre with a striking amount of top-level experience under her belt, having famously made her senior professional debut at the tender age of just 17.
Striving for greatness
A proud product of the City youth academy, Keating was assigned the No. 12 shirt upon her arrival on Merseyside.
It didn't take long for her to display the kind of maturity and ambition that has shown her rise so far. Speaking during her first official interview with the club, the new recruit opened up on exactly why the project under Taylor at Anfield was simply impossible to turn down.
"It's such a big club and I think the women's team is striving for greatness. They're just going in the right direction and it's a project that I want to be part of."
— Liverpool FC Women (@LiverpoolFCW) July 13, 2026
Khiara Keating's first interview as a Red 🎥
“I think everyone knows Liverpool worldwide. It’s such a big club and I think the women’s team is striving for greatness,” Keating told Liverpoolfc.com.
“I think the style of football that they play, they actually try to play – which suits me and my position.
“I think they’re just going in the right direction and [it is] a project that I want to be part of.”
Golden glove and European glory
To say Keating's rise through the footballing ranks has been meteoric would be an understatement. After gaining vital first-team during short loan spells with the likes of AFC Fylde and Coventry United, she returned to her parent club to make eight senior appearances across the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.
However, it was the 2023/24 season where she truly came onto the scene,making herself not just as City's number one, but as one of the most elite goalkeepers in the entire country.
Featuring 29 times and claiming an incredible 12 clean sheets across all competitions, Keating became undroppable figure in the WSL title race.
She conceded a meager 15 goals in 22 league appearances, single-handedly keeping her side in the hunt until the final day of the season. Her domestic heroics earned her the WSL Golden Glove award, a remarkable achievement for a keeper of her age.
The young stopper further increased her name on the global stage by by testing herself against Europe's finest in the Women’s Champions League, and she heads to Liverpool fresh off the back of another trophy-laden 2025/26 campaign.
Keating featured nine times for City last term, keeping four clean sheets in the process to help steer the club to a historic WSL and Women’s FA Cup double.
Yet, despite the silverware, a player of her immense talent wants to be on the pitch every single week. Now under Taylor's guidance once again on Merseyside, her primary objective should be crystal clear which is consistent game time, personal development, and bringing trophies to Anfield.
“The start of my career has been nothing but amazing. I’ve gained platforms and done brilliantly so far. But I needed that missing [piece of the] puzzle,” Keating added.
“And I think Liverpool can be that – where I’m playing week in, week out and I’mÂ
With pre-season just around the corner, getting this deal over the line early is a massive win for Taylor.
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