BREAKING: Super Falcons Star Toni Payne Joins Inter Milan After Everton Exit
Super Falcons midfielder Toni Payne has completed a move to Inter Milan, signing a two-year contract with the Italian club after leaving Everton.
Inter confirmed the Nigeria international’s arrival in a statement published on their official website earlier today, July 11.
“Internazionale Milano announces the arrival of Antionette Oyedupe ‘Toni’ Payne at the Nerazzurri.
The Nigerian striker, born in 1995, has signed a contract with the Club until June 30, 2028,” the club said.
“Born on April 22, 1995, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Nigerian parents, Antionette Oyedupe ‘Toni’ Payne began playing as a child with her sisters Stephen and Nicole, with whom she would later play for the Nigerian national team.
“Her career as a striker began with an internship offered by Ajax, which brought her to Europe in 2017. After a year in the Netherlands, she moved to Sevilla, where she made 168 appearances and scored 30 goals from 2018 to 2024 before joining Everton.
“After her experience with the U.S. U17 national team, Payne chose to play for Nigeria, where she made her debut in 2021.”
The 30-year-old heads to Italy after a spell in the Women’s Super League with Everton, adding another chapter to a career that has taken her from Ajax to Sevilla before her move to England.
Toni Payne will now link up with an Inter side on the rise. The Milan club secured promotion to Serie A in their first season after forming a senior women’s team in 2018 and, in April 2025, qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time with a 3-0 victory over Roma.
Her transfer comes just weeks before the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where she has been included in Nigeria’s 25-player squad.
It will be Payne’s third appearance at the continental tournament after featuring in the 2023 and 2024 editions. She played a key role as the Super Falcons lifted a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in 2024.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Egypt and Zambia, with all their group matches scheduled to be played in Rabat between 26 July and 16 August.
