A face-to-face meeting at Stamford Bridge laid the groundwork for a record sale

Liverpool Women’s signing of Mao Itamura from Feyenoord Rotterdam is the latest example of how TransferRoom’s new Women’s Marketplace and events help clubs build the relationships that lead to successful transfers.

The Japan U20 international’s move to Liverpool, which was a record-sale for Feyenoord, followed a process that began months earlier at the TransferRoom Women’s Football Forum, held at Stamford Bridge in February.

The event brought together decision-makers from across the women’s game, creating an opportunity for clubs to discuss recruitment plans, player profiles and future opportunities face-to-face.

Liverpool Head of Recruitment Rob Clarkson (left) and Technical Coordinator Niamh Fahey (right) at the TransferRoom Leaders: Women's Football Forum at Stamford Bridge.

For Liverpool Women, one of those conversations proved to be the starting point of the deal.

Head of Recruitment Rob Clarkson met Feyenoord Head of Women’s Football Manon Melis during the event, opening discussions around Itamura before Liverpool progressed their interest through their usual recruitment process.

"Speaking to Manon at the in-person event opened up the conversation about the player," Clarkson explains.

"We then watched Mao in person multiple times and the deal moved forward from there."

The initial conversation gave both clubs the opportunity to establish a relationship before entering formal negotiations later in the year.

Melis believes those face-to-face meetings played an important role in creating the foundations for the transfer.

"The TransferRoom Women’s Football Forum event in February at Stamford Bridge marked the beginning of the negotiations with Liverpool for the sale of Mao," she said.

"It was great to meet each other in person and build the relationship, before entering into negotiations later on."

While Liverpool's recruitment process ultimately included extensive live scouting and internal evaluation, the first conversation at Stamford Bridge helped connect the right decision-makers at the right time.

The transfer is another example of how TransferRoom’s Women’s Marketplace creates meaningful networking opportunities that extend far beyond the event itself.

Join the Women's Marketplace now

Clubs from leagues across the globe have already signed up, including a host of big sides in the WSL, Scandinavia, the NWSL, France’s Première Ligue and Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, and the global network is growing fast.

Find out everything you need to know, and see how to register for the new Women’s Marketplace on TransferRoom now, here.