Q&AAurélie Csillag interview: 'I was interested from the first second I heard about Liverpool'

The 22-year-old forward became the Reds' latest addition of the January transfer window today after finalising her switch from German side SC Freiburg, subject to international clearance.

She arrives on Merseyside to further strengthen Gareth Taylor's options in the final third and with 12 senior caps for Switzerland to her name.

Moments after putting pen to paper on her contract, Csillag sat down with Liverpoolfc.com to offer her immediate reaction – read on for the chat in full…

Aurélie, welcome to Liverpool. How excited are you to be here?

Yeah, I'm very excited, very happy that I have this possibility to join an amazing club. I had a really good feeling.

Can you give us a bit of insight into when you first heard of the interest from the club and what those conversations were like?

When I first heard of the club, I was very excited, I was probably a little bit shocked because Liverpool is such a big club with a lot of traditions and history. I was interested in the first second when I heard about Liverpool. I was just excited to know more about this club.

You join us from Freiburg; what was it in those initial conversations that you had that made you sure this was the right next step for you in your career?

For me, the [Barclays Women's] Super League was always a dream. When I was a little child, I always wanted to play in the Super League. And then when I heard from Liverpool, it was a nice city, a nice club, a lot of tradition and history, I didn't have any doubts to join this winter.

You've had a chance to look around the facilities, meet your new teammates and some of the staff. What have been your first impressions of the AXA Melwood Training Centre?

The training centre is amazing. I've never seen a training centre in a women's club like this. I was very, very surprised and very happy that I could see this and join this.

• Watch Csillag in action – LFC Women match tickets on sale here

How much do you feel you can develop here as a player under head coach Gareth Taylor and with the facilities that are on offer?

It's a very professional club, so I would have a lot of possibilities to train on my weaknesses, on my physical [attributes] also because it's a very physical league. With good players around me, for me it's also a very big step personally.

You'll have had conversations with Gareth and managing director Andy O'Boyle already. What qualities did they see in you and what do you feel you can bring to this team?

I come as a striker, as a winger, so I can score goals, I can go in one-v-one and I can race my opponents. These are my strengths.

You spent time with Grasshopper Club Zurich during the early part of your career, on the opposite side to Marie Höbinger. You know each other quite well, so it must be nice to have a familiar face and to play on the same team as her as well?

A couple of years ago, she was my opponent in Switzerland and we were rivals. Now to play for the same club, it's amazing. I'm very happy that I already know someone here.

What were those conversations you had with her prior to joining? What did she say about this place?

Actually I didn't talk to her. It was a secret, so I just talked with my close ones about this transfer!

You've mentioned playing in the WSL, it's one of the most exciting leagues in the world at the moment. It's going to be enjoyable for you to test yourself against some of the best defenders...

Yeah, I'm looking forward to playing against the big clubs. For me, it's the best league in the world. It's a big chance for me to show what I can do on the pitch in this league.