Birmingham City have signed France youth international Chancelle Effa Effa from Le Havre for a fee of just over £100,000, bolstering their forward line as they prepare to compete in the Women's Super League after winning the WSL 2 title last season. The 19-year-old striker progressed through Le Havre's academy, making her senior debut at just 15, and has represented France at every youth level from the U16s to the U23s, making her a promising young addition for the ambitious Blues.

Effa Effa helped Le Havre win promotion to the French top flight and signed her first professional contract in December 2022, having had a year left on her deal before the move. She has scored 17 goals in 28 appearances across France's youth sides, including helping the country win the U17s European title in 2023 and reach the U19s European final in 2025. Manager Amy Merricks said the club had been tracking her for some time, while Birmingham also confirmed the appointments of Mark Beard as assistant head coach and Ben Chapman as goalkeeping coach on the same day.