Niche Cache
There aren’t many Football Ferns who’ve boosted their reputations more over the past 18 months than Alina Santos. Maybe just Pia Vlok and even then she hasn’t yet had the national team consistency of Santos, who not so long ago was a back-up goalie for the University of Denver and nowhere near the national team set-up.
In her fourth and final year of college, Santos finally became a starter and had a magnificent season keeping five clean sheets in 17 appearances with a save percentage of 82.8%. It just so happened that the Football Ferns were desperate for goalkeeping depth at this time and Santos was one of several keepers who were called up as part of that rotation. Beyond the established Vic Esson and Anna Leat, other keepers selected in that phase were Murphy Sheaff, Geo Candy, Bri Edwards, Claudia Jenkins, Maddie Iro, and Brooke Neary. But they were all in and out, whereas Santos was called up for the (aborted) tour of Chinese Taipei and has been in every squad since, earning four caps beginning with her debut vs Australia in December 2025.
Now she’s signed with Southampton in the English second tier. Pretty clear connection as to why that happened: the goalkeeping coach for the Ferns is the former goalkeeping coach for Southampton. Englishman Will Britt, who clearly rates what Santos brings to the picnic and has backed that opinion up by helping give her a first professional opportunity. Graduated from the Uni of Denver, into the pro scene with Southampton. She’s come a long way from the Kapiti Coast.
We didn’t have a single player in the WSL last season and we don’t currently have any this season either. But the WSL2 usually serves up a decent scattering and that hasn’t changed. Gotta see if Santos lands the number one status yet but she could debut against Mickey Foster’s Durham in week one if she does. Also got Grace Neville at Ipswich and of course Katie Kitching at Sunderland. The women’s season starts a few weeks later than the men so these preseason transfers are also happening later, giving us time for a couple more additions if we’re lucky. Southampton finished fifth last season. Plenty to build upon.
Fran Stenson started all 22 league games for the Saints in 2025-26 but transferred to Sunderland a few weeks ago. They gave her a new contract but then the club, who’ve had to make budget cuts to their women’s programme recently, accepted a transfer fee to let her go... opening the door for Alina Santos to get this opportunity. The threat is that they’ve also signed Irish international Grace Moloney - who once kept Erin Nayler on the bench for a full WSL season with Reading, and has signed from Sunderland going the other way to Stenson. So Santos will have to earn it.
