West Ham United women’s team are delighted to announce the signing of Li Mengwen on a season-long loan.
The defender makes the switch from fellow Barclays Women’s Super League side Brighton & Hove Albion, having signed for the Seagulls in September 2023.
The 29-year-old has spent the majority of her senior career with Chinese Women’s Super League club Jiangsu LFC, where she played from 2009 until departing for the English south coast. During Mengwen’s time in her homeland, she lifted the Chinese Women’s Super League title in 2019 and won the Chinese Women’s Cup on three occasions.
Mengwen made eleven appearances in the WSL last term, helping Brighton to a ninth-place finish. Before making the move to England, she spent a season on loan with French Première Ligue giants Paris Saint-Germain, where she made 13 appearances, including in their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Wolfsburg.
Since making her debut for her country in 2018, Mengwen has tallied a total of 23 caps for China. She featured for her nation at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2020 Olympic Games and helped China to victory at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
The Suzhou native will wear the No26 shirt during her time in east London, and is looking forward to making an impact for the Hammers.
“I’m delighted to be joining West Ham United,” Mengwen said. “It has felt like a bit of a rollercoaster over the last 24 hours as this decision happened very quickly, but now that I am here, I am so excited.
“I feel very proud to be a Chinese player playing in the Barclays Women’s Super League, and I’m truly honoured to be the first Chinese player to play for West Ham United.
“I am a determined, resilient player who will never give up. The experience that I’ve had and the pressure that I have played under throughout my career drives me to be a better player. Now that I am here, I want to do my very best in a West Ham shirt and help the team as much as I can.”
Manager Rehanne Skinner is delighted to add Mengwen’s experience to her ranks ahead of the 2024/25 WSL campaign, which begins next weekend against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
“We are delighted that Mengwen is joining us for the season,” Skinner added. “This is a historic moment for all of us as we welcome our first Chinese player to West Ham United.
“In our first conversation, I could tell how focused and professional she is - attributes that have enabled her to play for teams like Paris Saint-Germain in the past.
“Mengwen has already shown an ability to compete in the Barclays Women’s Super League for Brighton and represent China on the international stage for a number of years, so we know we are bringing some invaluable experience to the team.
“Mengwen’s game understanding and professionalism, as well as her tenacity and desire to win are huge strengths to her game. Her skill set will fit our style of play perfectly, whilst complementing our existing defensive options within the squad.”
Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Li to the Club and wish her every success in Claret and Blue.
