Glentoran Women have secured the signing of Northern Ireland youth international Naomi McLaughlin from Scottish Women’s Premier League side Aberdeen on the eve of their Women’s Champions League first qualifying round.
The 20-year-old attacking midfielder becomes the latest addition to Kim Turner’s squad as the Glens continue to strengthen ahead of a pivotal second half of the season and their European clash with Latvian champions Riga FC on Wednesday July 22.
The former Northern Ireland under-17 and under-19 international arrives from Aberdeen after making 10 senior appearances and scoring twice in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, who she joined from Cliftonville Ladies in January 2026.
“Glentoran is a massive club with a fantastic reputation and after speaking with Kim it was clear this was the right place for me,” said McLaughlin.
“I really enjoyed my time at Aberdeen. I’ve grown so much in such a short space of time, both on and off the pitch and I’ll always be grateful for that experience.
“When I spoke to Kim about her plans for the team, how she sees me fitting into it and how she wants to help me continue developing as a player, I knew this was the challenge I wanted to take on.
“I’m ambitious and I want to win trophies. Glentoran is a club that’s consistently challenging for honours and that’s exactly the sort of environment I want to be part of.
“I’ve already had the chance to train with the girls and they’ve made me feel really welcome. There’s a lot of quality within the squad and I’m excited to get started and hopefully help the team enjoy another successful season.”
“Glentoran is a club that’s consistently challenging for honours and that’s exactly the sort of environment I want to be part of.”
Naomi McLaughlin
After joining Cliftonville from Sion Swifts Ladies in January 2024, McLaughlin played her part in a domestic treble-winning campaign, which included an unbeaten Women’s Premiership title success, before helping the club retain the Irish Cup in 2025.
Her performances earned widespread recognition, with McLaughlin named NI Football Writers’ Women’s Premiership Player of the Month for June 2025 and shortlisted for the NIFL Women’s Young Player of the Year award.
“Naomi attracted interest from a number of clubs, both here and across the water, so we’re really pleased she chose Glentoran as the best place to continue her development,” said Glens manager Turner.
“We know exactly the quality she brings. Naomi is a talented attacking player who adds real depth and competition to our squad. Of course, her goals from midfield are a huge asset, but it’s her all-round game, technical ability and understanding of the game that really stood out to us.
“At just 20 years of age, Naomi still has enormous potential and we’re looking forward to helping her continue her development. She’s settled into the squad really well already and we’re confident she’ll make a significant contribution during what promises to be a hugely exciting second half of the season.”
Victory over Riga will put the Glens against either group hosts Wrexham or FC Pyunik of Armenia for a place in round two of the competition where they would face HB Koge of Denmark.
