Riesen joins West Ham on three-year deal
West Ham United confirmed Switzerland defender Nadine Riesen has signed a three-year contract after leaving Eintracht Frankfurt, giving Rita Guarino a fourth summer addition as her rebuild gathers pace.
The 26-year-old arrives as a Switzerland international defender and full-back, bringing UEFA Women’s Champions League experience and senior international know-how to a squad being reshaped ahead of the new campaign.
Her move was announced by West Ham via the club’s official confirmation of Riesen’s signing, and it follows the arrivals of Katie Zelem, Constance Picaud and Laia Codina earlier in the window.
For Guarino, the value is clear: Riesen adds pace on the flank, attacking quality from deeper areas, and the resilience needed to handle a demanding Women’s Super League schedule. She has been praised for her work ethic and never-say-die attitude, traits that should appeal to a side looking for greater intensity without the ball and sharper transitions when possession is won.
The signing also gives West Ham more flexibility across defensive roles. Riesen can operate as a full-back, a profile that matters in modern systems because wide defenders are asked to defend one-on-one, support build-up and arrive high enough to influence attacks. That balance is likely to be central to how Guarino wants her team to play.
Context matters too. West Ham have not simply added another squad number; they have recruited a player with experience of European club football and the pressures that come with representing her country. For supporters, the immediate question will be how quickly she settles into English football and whether her forward running can offer a new outlet on the right or left.
It is a sensible, targeted addition rather than a headline-chasing move. With Zelem, Picaud, Codina and now Riesen through the door, West Ham have given Guarino a broader base before pre-season work sharpens. The next step is integrating them quickly.
