BREAKING NEWS: WATFORD HAVE COMPLETED THE SIGNING OF IPSWICH TOWN DEFENDER .

Watford have completed the signing of defender Abbie Lafayette from FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division club Ipswich Town.

The Golden Girls announced news of their latest summer addition via a post on their official club website this evening.

Lafayette joins hometown club Watford after spending the last five years with Ipswich Town. She has made 83 appearances in all competitions for The Tractor Girls in which she has scored 15 goals. Lafayette has helped the Suffolk club to mount promotion bids in recent seasons.

After Watford narrowly beat Ipswich Town to the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division title last season, Lafayette has deemed it to be the right time to go home.

Lafayette becomes Watford boss Damon Lathrope’s seventh signing of the summer transfer window. Harley Bennett, Coral-Jade Haines, Olivia Clark, Michelle Agyemang, Katie Reid and Laila Harbert have also joined The Golden Girls this summer.

Watford boss Lathrope now has 19 players contracted to the club for the upcoming season. In addition to the new signings, Watford opted to retain 12 members of last season’s promotion-winning squad.

The Hertfordshire club kick-off their first season back in the Barclays Women’s Championship with a home fixture against Durham on Sunday 27 August 2023.