Damallsvenskan: Charli Grant signs for Malmö after Tottenham exit | OneFootball

Charli Grant has made the move to Swedish side Malmö, following her departure from Tottenham Hotspur. The Australia international’s decision represents more than just a change of club.

Like many in her position, the ever looming spectre of a World Cup next summer is now too big not to start thinking about.

Grant has signed a three-year deal with the Damallsvensken side. She now faces a race against time to reassert herself into Joe Montemurro’s plans with Australia.

Having signed for then boss Robert Vilahamn in January 2024, Grant found herself increasingly on the periphery of things at Tottenham towards the end of her time there.

Last season, the 24-year-old played a total of just 85 minutes of football across the whole campaign. A knee injury sustained back in November kept her sidelined. It couldn’t have come at a worse time. In the final season of her contract and with a home Asian Cup on the horizon.

Ultimately, Grant didn’t make the cut, with Montemurro telling journalists that he ‘hadn’t seen enough proof from her that she was ready to go’. The Matildas finished runners-up to Japan on home soil.

While Ellie Carpenter is firmly established as her country’s first choice right-back, the battle to deputise for her is far more open. Grant was long considered the go-to. But she now faces competition from Charlize Rule, who has now solidified her spot in Brighton’s first 11.

Elsewhere, Jamilla Rankin has sealed a move to Eintracht Frankfurt following a successful two-year stint with Hoffenheim in the Frauen-Bundesliga.

Add in the versatility of Newcastle’s Kaitlyn Torpey, who can play on either side of the defence, or Grant’s new club-mate Courtney Nevin who — although she’s been deployed mainly as left-back for Malmö — is equally adept in either full-back role, and the road to the Matilda’s 2027 World Cup squad isn’t a straightforward one.

For now, though, getting back to her best at club level will be a step in the right direction.

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