Luxury brand Oakley have signed Manchester United striker Alessia Russo in a multi-year partnership which further demonstrates how the 24-year-old England star is fast becoming one of the most marketable players in the women's game.

A European champion with her country, Russo is already signed up to lucrative deals with her boot sponsors Adidas and headphone manufacturers Beats Electronics for Beats by Dre and has been linked with a number of high-profile brands going into her first World Cup this summer. During the last transfer window she was reportedly the subject of a world-record transfer bid amounting to £500,000 ($622,000).

Last year, Oakley, the California eye-wear brand, a subsidiary of French-Italian multinational EssilorLuxottica, enlisted Kylian Mbappé, the scorer of a hat-trick in the men's World Cup final, as a brand ambassador. They have also sponsored members of the United States Olympic Team and have a partnership with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.

In February, they signed a deal with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a two-time Superbowl winner and MVP, and in March, Oakley began a partnership with the world's best female player, Alexia Putellas, the winner of the last two Ballon D'Or awards. Earlier this month, Oakley created a mural in Brooklyn, New York of Putellas wearing their sunglasses enscribed with the motto, Labor Omnia Vincit (Work Leads to Victory), the title of her eponymous documentary series on Amazon Prime. For Oakley to now add Russo to their portfolio demonstrates how highly the Manchester United striker is regarded by sponsors around the world.

Russo shot to international prominence last summer with her performances as an impact substitute for England at the UEFA Women's Euro. She scored four times to finish as one of the tournament's top goalscorers despite not starting a single game. Her back-heeled goal in the semi-final against Sweden became an internet sensation and earned her a nomination for the FIFA Puskás Award as one of the most beautiful goals of the year.

With last summer's forwards Ellen White (retired) and Beth Mead (injured) both missing this time, Russo will go into the FIFA Women's World Cup as England's first-choice central striker and is growing into one of the game's most sought-after players on and off the field.

Research last month by Betting.com revealed Russo earned almost £4,000 from sponsored Instagram posts in the first quarter of 2023 behind only Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson in the England team. With Williamson and Mead out of the World Cup, it is expected that Russo's earnings from social media have already doubled leading up to the tournament.

In the same period, the United States' Alex Morgan gained over $127,000 from Instagram, putting her estimated annual earnings at over $500,000 according to the findings. Such is Russo's potential that her representatives expect her to challenge those figures in the next few years.

This month, her boot sponsors Adidas selected Russo as one of five players to promote 'Champion The Girls' an initiative aimed at preventing teenage girls from dropping out of sport. Last summer, Adidas also arranged for the green X SPEEDPORTAL boots with which she scored against Sweden to be displayed amongst the British crown jewels at the Tower of London after being declared 'a national treasure'.

Russo's future at club level remains the subject of much conjecture. Her contract at Manchester United expires on June 30 and she will be able to join another team on a free transfer. After scoring ten league goals for the first time in this campaign, she was named as the team's Player of the Season by the club's supporters. There will be no shortage of suitors for a player whose best years are ahead of her.