Brighton & Hove Albion have signed Colombian defender Manuela Vanegas Catano from Real Sociedad.
She made 96 appearances and scored ten goals during four seasons with the Basque Country club.
Head coach Dario Vidosic said: “It’s exciting to welcome Manuela to the squad. She’s a solid defender who is both reliable at defending and threatening moving forward.
“Her energy and creativity will be a real asset for us as we push towards our goals this season.”
During her time at Real Sociedad, the club were runners-up in the Primera División Femenina (Liga F), Copa de la Reina, and Supercopa de España Femenina.
She began her career at Formas Íntimas in Colombia before having spells at Envigado FC, Atlético Huila, Independiente Medellín and RCD Espanyol.
On the international stage, she made her debut for Colombia at the 2018 Copa América Femenina. In 2022, she was a key part of the squad that helped Colombia finish runners-up at the Copa América Femenina.
At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Vanegas scored a dramatic 97th-minute winner against Germany, securing a historic 2-1 victory that ended Germany’s group stage winning streak which had lasted since 1995.
She was also named in the squads for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.