Our Barclays Women’s Super League 2024/25 Team Previews
The WSL is back! We preview all twelve teams ahead of the start of the 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League season.
The new Barclays Women’s Super League season for 2024/2025 is finally here and in this piece, we will be previewing all 12 teams that will be involved.
The season begins this Friday on the 20th September when the current champions Chelsea face Aston Villa at Kingsmeadow at 19:00 (BST). Then both Saturday and Sunday have fixtures on them which are headlined by Arsenal vs Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday at 12:30 (BST).
In this preview, we will outline a bit of information about each team going into the opening day, plus each team’s standout signing, player to watch, breakout star and finally a prediction of where they will finish this season. So with that, let’s get into it…
Arsenal
Last season: 3rd
Manager/Head Coach: Jonas Eidevall
With expectations yet again to be around the top positions in the league, Arsenal come into their fourth season under the management of Swedish head coach Jonas Eidevall with the pressure on to be more involved in a title challenge.
Over the summer they have worked on adding more quality to the team in attacking areas given some of the departures within their squad from last season, most notably Vivianne Miedema and Cloe Lacasse who featured mainly from off the bench in the last campaign.
They’ve made three additions to the first team and added to their academy with Sophie Harwood’s signing. Mariona Caldentey joining on a free from Barcelona is a very exciting move for the North London side as are the two other transfers with Netherlands goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar signing from Aston Villa and Swedish prospect Rosa Kafaji coming in for a fee from BK Häcken.
Despite a third-place finish, it did feel slightly disappointing given certain results and the fact that they weren’t more closely involved in the title race towards the later stages. Some bad results against West Ham and Tottenham and then subsequent losses against their fellow challengers ended up costing them.
They have to rectify the issues that came about last season where they were in games and just struggled to break teams down at times. They lacked a lot of clinicality in some matches and as we saw it led to them losing points. There has to be a sign of progress from Arsenal and Eidevall this season because there can come a point where things are questioned in terms of whether the team is stagnating and not challenging enough as they should be. They have the quality on paper, but now they have to start performing week in and week out.
Standout new signing?
Rosa Kafaji - As proven and good a signing Mariona Caldentey is, it’s the 21-year-old Swedish forward who I think could be the standout signing for Arsenal this season. She is such a highly-rated player and one that could even provide a spark of creativity for the team if she is a player who comes off the bench in the early stages of the season. Her versatility might prove very important for Arsenal.
Player to watch?
Alessia Russo - After a fairly good debut season with the Gunners, Alessia Russo could maybe even have an even better second season at the club. She ended last season fourth in the top scorer’s stats after an impressive run towards the end of the season. It would be hard to not back her to continue on from that now she feels established as Arsenal’s main striker.
Breakout young player?
Katie Reid - There are quite a few options that could be chosen given the talented youth players at the club. What’s hard to work out is if any of them could be given more of a chance with the first-team squad this season. That’s where 17-year-old defender Katie Reid comes to mind, having featured a lot in pre-season and maybe she could really have a breakout campaign for Arsenal if given the opportunity in their defence. Honourable mentions for Vivienne Lia and Freya Godfrey amongst others.
Prediction?
They have added well in the transfer window have Arsenal with the view of being firmly in the title picture again. Personally, I do expect them to be around the top three again, but I still don’t know yet if they can win the league over Chelsea or even a strengthened Manchester City as well. I think they will finish third again.
3rd - Brad
They have strengthened well in the window and they now have two top goalkeepers and the addition of serial winner Mariona Caldentey. I still find it hard to place them in the top two. With how both of last season’s top two have improved in the window, the Gunners will find it hard to overtake either of them.
3rd - Regan
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Aston Villa
Last season: 7th
Manager/Head Coach: Robert de Pauw
Some changes have happened at Aston Villa over this summer. A new head coach is in with Dutchman Robert de Pauw having replaced Carla Ward, he’s bringing some new ideas and a positive approach to the way they will want to play as Villa look to improve on a season last time out, which was largely mixed for the most part.
They have managed to do quite a bit of business this summer which has included bringing in a club-record signing of Brazilian forward Gabi Nunes from Levante and some potential future England players Katie Robinson and Missy Bo Kearns. They have also added a couple of European players to bolster their squad. They have particularly strengthened in midfield areas which had been an area of concern for them. But now it feels like Aston Villa do have a bit more depth to their squad barring any injuries.
Finishing in seventh place last season was underwhelming given the campaign before that where they had managed their highest-ever finish. Robert de Pauw will have work to do to push Villa forward and make them a consistent top-five team in the league. This season could even be treated as a transitional one with an eye on putting in some good performances, getting results where necessary and laying an early foundation on what is wanted from this team and that means getting the quality out of their best players once again.
They’ll look to Rachel Daly for the goals again having been their top scorer in the two seasons she has been with the club. Adriana Leon is coming off the back of some good showings in pre-season and internationally for Canada. Other experienced players at the club will be important in helping the new players and the younger ones find their feet as they start what they hope is a positive new era under Robert de Pauw.
Standout new signing?
Missy Bo Kearns - The most out-of-nowhere signing this summer, the 23-year-old has a lot of talent at her disposal as she takes on a new challenge at Aston Villa. She will add a lot to the midfield in their squad. As the captain of the England Under 23s team and being a standby for the seniors this summer, I feel her time is coming to step up and be a key player.
Player to watch?
Ebony Salmon - After a first season with the club where she only scored three league goals and made a handful of substitute appearances, I expect that number to improve this season and with the players they have signed that will be either behind her or out on the wing, Salmon could be a danger to defences this season if given the game time.
Breakout young player?
Sophia Poor - The goalkeeper signed her first professional contract earlier this summer and has racked up the minutes in preseason so far for the club and could well earn her way into becoming the first-choice goalkeeper at the club under the new manager.
Prediction?
I am a little biased with this one, however, the intriguing summer transfer business and pre-season results have got me feeling positive about the prospect of a good season for this team. It will take time for everything to be figured under Robert de Pauw out of course. But I like how the squad is shaping up. I can see Villa doing alright this season.
5th - Brad
A strong set of summer signings should help them do well, but how long will it take them to adapt to de Pauw’s style of play and how will they stack up against the rest of the league is a big question? I see them being mid-table again.
6th - Regan
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Brighton
Last season: 9th
Manager/Head Coach: Dario Vidošić
Will this be the season in which things finally click for Brighton & Hove Albion as they start the season with a new head coach. Australian Dario Vidošić now finds himself in charge of the team who have all the ambition, yet just haven’t been able to push on in recent seasons despite having the quality in their squad.
Vidošić is their sixth coach in the space of 20 months, which is a sign of the instability that has been within the women’s team as of late. However they hope that things can now change, which will still be easier said than done given the high turnover of players with a lot of outgoings and incomings at the club in the summer. They have seen several starters from last season leave in Elisabeth Terland, Tatiana Pinto and Katie Robinson just to name a few.
It’s the incomings that do show a sign of that ambition from Brighton once again given the addition of two experienced England internationals Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris, who could contribute to their attacking output. There are also defensive recruitments Marit Auee and Marisa Olislagers from Dutch champions FC Twente and some added experience with Jelena Čanković also joining from Chelsea same as Kirby.
They will look to play with a positive approach to matches and in the words of the head coach, try to ‘dominate’ matches. They may have to adapt their approach as the season goes on and try to figure things out given they are a team that is resetting in a way, with new ideas being implemented and a few players that will need integrating into the squad.
Brighton could prove to be an intriguing team to keep an eye on this season. Despite what we know of Vidošić’s tactics and how he wants Brighton to approach games, he is a largely inexperienced manager. His progression as a coach will be just as interesting to watch play out as will the process of some actual progression now for Brighton & Hove Albion and given the transfer activity this summer, now is the time to stand out this season.
Standout new signing?
Fran Kirby - After leaving Chelsea earlier this summer and then deciding to join the Seagulls, it’s hard to look past Kirby as the standout new signing. Her wealth of experience and winning mentality will be a massive boost for the club and will undoubtedly bring the standards to a new level for some of the players.
Player to watch?
Kiko Seike - The 28-year-old Japanese forward knows how to score goals with 20 goals in 22 games in the Japanese league last season. How her goalscoring form translates into the English game is something to keep an eye on this season, but Brighton will need players to score goals and replace the output offered by Elisabeth Terland last season.
Breakout young player?
Charlize Rule - Heading into her second season with the club the Australian will be hoping to make more of an impact this season with the club. Fresh of signing a new contract she will be hoping that new boss Dario Vidošić will help bring the best out of her.
Prediction?
Tough one to decide with Brighton. The potential is there and sooner or later something has to click. It could take time of course for things to come together but when you look at the transfer business that’s been done especially with Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris joining, surely they finish higher this season.
7th - Brad
A good summer for Brighton in terms of incomings especially Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris. I see them being a more consistent side this year but how long will it take to fully understand the new manager’s philosophy is something to keep an eye on.
8th - Regan
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Chelsea
Last season: 1st (Champions)
Manager/Head Coach: Sonia Bompastor
Chelsea are heading into another campaign as the defending WSL champions, but as we all know, things have changed with them. No longer are they the team managed by Emma Hayes. A new era is beginning at Kingsmeadow and former Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor is the person now in charge of steering Chelsea to the title and continuing on the legacy built up under Hayes.
She has a top squad still at her disposal packed with what feels like endless quality and talent that has helped them dominate domestic English women’s football these last few years for the most part. A lot of the senior players are still with them such as Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert, and there are a lot of their best-performing players from last season including Lauren James, Aggie Beever-Jones and Sjoeke Nüsken all hoping to replicate the form they showed over the last campaign.
Then there are the summer additions to the team also as Bompastor looks to implement her vision and ideas into the squad. A couple of players brought in have been identified given Sonia Bompastor’s prior knowledge of them, even more so with Lucy Bronze having worked under Bompastor at Lyon. Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-François both were signed from PSG as well and then there’s players signed more with an eye on the future again as we have become used to seeing with Chelsea.
In terms of the squad itself, it is that mix of experienced senior players and highly rated young talent that provides this nearly perfectly balanced squad which you still wouldn’t count out just because of a manager change. How things work out in the early stages is something we will just have to wait and see play out, but on paper, it’s incredibly difficult to write them off even with the first change of management within the women’s team for 12 years.
Standout new signing?
Lucy Bronze - On the back of winning the quadruple with Barcelona, Bronze comes back to England but this time in a different shade of blue. No doubt she will still be a massive part of the team as they look to win a sixth successive WSL title. Plus having worked with new coach Sonia Bompastor before will decrease the time needed to adjust or transition into the squad.
Player to watch?
Mayra Ramirez - Having joined the club in January for a world record fee at the time of her transfer back in January this year, the Colombian has more than settled now at the club and heading into her first full season, it’s going to be hard for defences to slow her down. In the 7 games she played in the WSL last season, she amassed three goals and two assists, so expectations on her should be quite high to provide a strong output up front for Chelsea while Sam Kerr is still out with injury.
Breakout young player?
Wieke Kaptein - The 19-year-old joined the club last summer before going back to FC Twente for the 2023/24 campaign but is already beginning to show the talent she has. Kaptein has impressed with her performances in pre-season and has got some people talking about what is to come from the Dutch international this season.
Prediction?
A new era for Chelsea but still the same expectations. A part of me wants to say the run will be over and their streak of title wins ends. However, I still can’t look past how strong this team is on paper. I usually do like going bold with predictions, but it’s so hard to go against this Chelsea team even with things having changed on the coaching front. I still see them going six in a row.
1st (champions) - Brad
While it may be a new era at Chelsea, they are still going to be a force to be reckoned with. Adding Lucy Bronze and Sandy Baltimore to name a few, shows how much they want to retain the title, but I feel like this is the year where they come up just short in what I hope is another thrilling title race.
2nd - Regan
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Crystal Palace
Last season: 1st (Promoted from Women’s Championship)
Manager/Head Coach: Laura Kaminski
Heading into their first-ever campaign in the Women’s Super League, Crystal Palace will have a big challenge ahead of them in terms of staying up as they hope to avoid the same fate as Bristol City did last season when they came up but then went back down at the first time of asking. They defied expectations last season with promotion and now it’s about maintaining their place in the top-flight of English women’s football.
They have needed to make additions to their team so that they can compete well enough and that’s pretty much all over their squad in numerous areas. They have added experience in the form of former Everton centre-back Katrine Veje and Josie Green who was most recently at Leicester City, plus goalkeeper Shae Yanez who was with Bristol City last season. They’ve added some players who have played across Europe too with New Zealand international Indiah Paige Riley bought in from PSV and Ashleigh Weerden from Ajax just to name a couple of their ten new signings that they have made.
In terms of other players who were key for them last season, Welsh forward Elise Hughes was their main goal threat. However after she suffered a serious knee injury towards the back end of last season, it is unlikely she will have a part to play in the first half of this campaign. Annabel Blanchard is someone else who could step up to the level after being one of Palace’s top performers in their promotion achievement.
It feels safe to say that a good season for Crystal Palace is pretty much staying in the league and retaining a spot in the WSL for 2025/26. However, as we have seen many times with teams in the past, navigating that first season is always a difficult thing to achieve. All eyes will be on whether their new signings adjust to the league and perform well, plus seeing how well those who got them here also fare as they face needing to be playing at a higher level if they want to achieve survival.
Standout new signing?
Katrine Veje - The Danish defender joined after leaving Everton, but her experience of playing in the Women’s Super League will be a big help to the team given not many within their squad would have had prior experience of playing in the WSL. Despite missing nine games last season, Veje will still be expected to be an integral part of Crystal Palace’s first season in the top flight.
Player to watch?
Annabel Blanchard - The 23-year-old as mentioned was an important player for Crystal Palace in helping them get promoted with 18 goal contributions (eleven goals and seven assists) to her name having made 19 appearances. Perhaps we will see if she can still provide a goal threat or even add a bit of technical ability for Crystal Palace which will be pivotal.
Breakout young player?
Abbie Larkin - Larkin is already making a name for herself at such a young age. She has already earned 18 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland at 19-years-old after moving to the club in January from Glasgow City. She impressed with Crystal Palace in the second half of their promotion campaign with her nine goals in 16 games in all competitions. Perhaps if given the game time, she can catch the eye of a few teams this season?
Prediction?
Crystal Palace have been very active this summer as they have needed to be. Now it’s going to be about how they handle the league campaign. It’s not easy to predict how long players will take to adapt or whether they can truly compete at this level. However, I would give them a fighting chance. Unfortunately, it might just not be enough.
12th (relegated) - Brad
A team has to be relegated and over the last few seasons, the newly promoted side has struggled. Despite a strong end to the window for Palace, I think it will take some time for them to get integrated into Laura Kaminski’s style of play plus missing Elise Hughes will be a massive blow for them as she was so crucial last season.
12th (relegated) - Regan
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Everton
Last season: 8th
Manager/Head Coach: Brian Sørensen
Starting another season under Brian Sørensen, Everton will be looking to navigate through the season once again as they continue to be very settled at the moment although last season was a struggle given that injuries did begin to increase and take their toll on the squad.
However, they did avoid being firmly within a relegation battle as they finished 8th in the table following on from finishing 6th the season before. They even managed to avoid losing any of their last four league games and throughout the campaign, they were consistent in getting results against those teams who were in and around them.
Their squad has seen some incoming and a couple of departures too. Italian forward Martina Piemonte has left the club after one season and given the addition of Toni Payne and Inma Gabarro as forward options from Sevilla, Everton will be fairly covered in attacking positions. Defensively they have added Melissa Lawley having signed her from Merseyside rivals Liverpool. Losing Hanna Bennison to Juventus is a blow, however, they have added Honoka Hayashi who had shown some strong midfield performances at times last season with West Ham.
Brian Sørensen’s side will be hoping to have another decent season in the WSL with hopefully a bit more increased consistency if they want to have any hope of pushing to finish a little bit higher up the table. Consistency is going to be the key for them if they are to show signs of improvement. There are many factors in this team right now that could be a worrying sign for the season ahead. Results against those expected to be around them will be massively important once again.
Standout new signing?
Honoka Hayashi - Her signing for Everton seems to have gone under the radar and for them, it could be quite an astute one. The Japanese international had played fifty games for West Ham but left after being out of contract in the summer so Hayashi made the switch to Everton and it will be interesting to see if she does have an impact in Everton’s midfield.
Player to watch?
Aurora Galli - The Italian will always be the talking point of the team with her outstanding goals that she has scored at times, however Everton could do with her adding a couple more. Her performances for the club on a consistent basis are what is going to be a benefit to Everton this season as they look to avoid looking too far over their shoulder.
Breakout young player?
Karoline Olesen - The Dane will be hoping for more minutes this season having failed to complete 90 minutes in the league last season, whether down to injury or being subbed on in the second half of games. Heading into her second season with Everton, Olesen will be hoping to have more of an impact this season and show that she is still a prospect to look out for.
Prediction?
I think a tough season is coming for Everton. There have been some good additions to their team, however, I’m not completely sure if there is enough up front and I think that’s an area where they may struggle this season and it will affect how many games they win.
10th - Brad
I think Everton are one of those sides that will either massively improve or fall off this season and for me, it’s the latter. Their top scorer last season was Katja Snoeijs with five goals and then three players Martina Piemonte, Toni Duggan and Hanna Bennison have all left this summer and while they have attempted to replace them, I feel they might struggle to score a lot of goals.
9th - Regan
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Leicester City
Last season: 10th
Manager/Head Coach: Amandine Miquel
The last of the teams coming into this season under new management, Leicester City will be hoping to finally finish higher up the table this time around. Since their promotion in 2021, they’ve finished 11th surviving by just two points in their first WSL campaign and since then their last two campaigns have seen them end with back-to-back 10th-place finishes.
The second half of last season was largely disappointing and also sadly plagued with off-field controversy, but this summer provided a chance to reset and they made a move in appointing French coach Amandine Miquel. The 40-year-old will be in charge of Leicester City this season following on from her seven seasons in charge of Stade de Reims in the Première Ligue in France where she built up a good reputation with them.
Of course, Leicester have attempted to build their squad up for this season and not surprisingly they haven’t spent big given the resources they have compared to other clubs. However, it’s been some potentially sensible business from them. For example, Chantelle Swaby, Noémie Mouchon and Shana Chossenotte were all signed from teams in France and in the case of Mouchon and Chossenotte, they had been signed from Reims and know exactly what working under Amandine Miquel is like.
In terms of other transfers as well, Asmita Ale has been brought in permanently after being there on loan last season, just like Ruby Mace who also has moved there permanently from Manchester City. The only other new signing was Belgian defender Sari Kees who could be a good addition to their defence.
They’ve kept a lot of their best quality players as well which is a massive positive for them. They have a lot of experienced players all still expected to be heavily involved. We’re talking about the likes of Sam Tierney, Sophie Howard and Janice Cayman who should still be regulars amongst the starting positions if pre-season was anything to go by.
They are a little bit intriguing this season are Leicester City. They’ve had quite a bit of instability with numerous coaching changes over the years, so if things can work out under Miquel then they stand to have a better season than they perhaps are used to and maybe they will achieve their highest WSL finish ever this season?
Standout new signing?
Chantelle Swaby - The Jamaican defender joined them on a two-year deal from FC Fleury 91 and is another good player brought in to strengthen their defensive options. She’s had spells at Rangers and in the NWSL over in the US and has been very good at international level with Jamaica especially over a year ago at the World Cup. She’s bringing a lot of valuable experience into this Leicester City team.
Player to watch?
Jutta Rantala - The 24-year-old Finnish wide-forward really did have a breakout campaign last season with Leicester and even managed to be nominated for WSL Player of the Season after 11 goal contributions (six goals and five assists for the team). It’s going to be very interesting to see if she can continue to be one of Leicester’s more creative players and who knows maybe under new coaching she could thrive even further.
Breakout young player?
Noémie Mouchon - In the fourth-place finish last season achieved by Stade de Reims, Mouchon had a return of nine goals in 22 appearances which is a fairly good tally from the 21-year-old having led the line in her only season with the club. Her attributes are something that Amandine Miquel wants in this Leicester team and they haven’t had one player to carry the brunt of their goals in past seasons. If given the chance from the start to shine in the team, she might just have a real breakout season playing at this higher level.
Prediction?
I think is going to be a real process with Leicester City. I do expect them to be better this season under Miquel, but I do wonder if it may take some time to just get things in order. There’s a lot of pressure on new signings to come in and perform, plus those who did well in the team last season need to step up again. I think they improve on how they’ve done before, just not by that much at this moment in time.
9th - Brad
A busy summer for Leicester with a new manager coming in plus a lot of signings. It will be interesting to see how they do this season. The bottom four to five teams are going to be close together this season and for me nothing Leicester have done makes me think they will finish higher than those around them.
11th - Regan
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Liverpool
Last season: 4th
Manager/Head Coach: Matt Beard
Last season was a fantastic campaign by Liverpool managed by Matt Beard as they finished fourth in the WSL, but now the challenge comes in going on and doing that again or maybe even aiming higher. They’ll be playing their home games at a new stadium as well as they move away from Prenton Park and relocate to the 18,000-capacity St. Helens Stadium.
Liverpool will look to have another strong season and continue the growth of the women’s set up which has been helped out hugely with how they finished last season. How they have improved and pushed themselves even further forward is going to be very interesting to see play out as the season goes on.
There hasn’t been a plethora of transfers that have come in at Liverpool this summer despite quite a few departures, with some of those being players who had been starters in the squad last season. For example, Emma Koivisto and Melissa Lawley departed, plus someone who was very much Liverpool through and through in Missy Bo Kearns after she left the club in search of more game-time.
They may have had an eye on trying to keep the squad as stable as possible and not bring in too many names with them left having to adjust to that squad environment. This could work in their favour or leave them short in certain areas. But, in terms of those who have been signed, they are sure to fit in well with the team. A lot of eyes in particular will be on Olivia Smith with her being signed for a club-record fee plus she is also a very highly rated young player. Gemma Evans’s signing from Manchester United could prove to be a sensible one, and then finally Cornelia Kapocs will provide another option up front if needed.
Matt Beard will feel a bit of pressure to try to maintain the levels in his squad that they managed to show last season. Suppose they continue to be able to be an exciting team to watch and also well-organised in games while just fine-tuning a couple of areas here and there. In that case, there is every reason to have high expectations of Liverpool heading into this season as they look to take another step forward in what they are building towards.
Standout new signing?
Olivia Smith - As mentioned already, Liverpool brought her in from Sporting CP for a club-record fee and they will be hoping she becomes a very important player for them. She got 13 goals and nine assists in 18 league games last season and was at the U20 Women’s World Cup with Canada where she was thriving as well, at just 20-years old she is a very exciting talent and if she can adapt quickly to the WSL, then she will amazing to watch this season.
Player to watch?
Grace Fisk - After being signed last summer, Grace Fisk played so well for them last season in defence and her performances saw her rewarded with Liverpool’s Players Player of the Year award and she even received an England call-up. It feels like the 26-year-old can get even better at Liverpool and if she stays consistent amongst the starting XI and is playing well, then it should be a big season for her personally.
Breakout young player?
Mia Enderby - The 19-year-old was a highly-rated talent when she joined last year and after a good showing at the Women’s U19 Euros with England, we still feel she can have a proper breakout season if given the opportunities. She might be limited to substitute appearances again in the early parts of the season but she certainly has the talent to have an impact on games in the later stages.
Prediction?
Liverpool still have a good squad at their disposal and last season was a bit of an overachievement. I think finishing fourth again is going to be an interesting challenge but I do wonder if they could have been more active in the window despite breaking their transfer record. I am expecting more of a mid-table finish this season.
6th - Brad
A quiet window for the club in terms of new signings, but I still expect them to be a top-half side this season, With how Sophie Roman Haug and Marie Höbinger were for them last season, I still think they will be a big problem for those near and around them.
5th - Regan
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Manchester City
Last season: 2nd
Manager/Head Coach: Gareth Taylor
After just missing out on their first WSL title since 2016, Manchester City will be aiming to challenge once again having missed out because of a lesser goal difference than Chelsea who pipped them to the trophy in the end. They had it in their own hands with two games, the hard work seemed done. However, a penultimate-day defeat to Arsenal in the late stages of that game gave Chelsea a chance to take control back from them.
Gareth Taylor’s side last season finished with 18 wins out in their 22 games, losing three games and drawing just once. They also kept the most clean sheets in the league with Khiara Keating’s breakout campaign and they also had the league’s top goal scorer last season in Khadija Shaw. You wouldn’t blame them for feeling hugely disappointed about not becoming champions back in May. However, they now head into this new season with their eye almost certainly on the prize having made some new strong additions to their squad.
Firstly though, they have sold a few players, too many of which were experienced first-team names if we’re talking about Steph Houghton retiring, Esme Morgan, Filippa Angeldahl, Ellie Roebuck and Demi Stokes have all moved onto new pastures. This means there’s a slightly fresher and youthful look to the depth that Manchester City have now within their squad.
City made one of the biggest moves in the WSL quite early on bringing in Vivianne Miedema and later followed up with transfers for Japanese trio Risa Shimizu, Aoba Fujino and Ayaka Yamashita. However, Shimizu sadly suffered an ACL injury that is likely to see her miss out a lot of time in what would have been her debut season with City. They’ve also brought in more players with an eye on the future as well. Naomi Layzell is a well-regarded defender signed from Bristol City who could develop well at Manchester City if given the opportunity to thrive there.
Last season, it did feel a bit unexpected to see Manchester City challenge for the title as closely as they did. That long winning streak went a long way in helping them challenge, but now this season the expectation has gone up and we’re all looking at them now having seen the work done over the summer to make this squad capable of fighting at the top once again. Perhaps this is their best chance to achieve the big win once again given changing circumstances at title rivals Chelsea. One thing we do know is that they won’t want that same heartbreak suffered in May to be repeated once again.
Standout new signing?
Vivianne Miedema - The all-time leading goalscorer in the WSL joining Manchester City is a huge statement by the club of their intentions of trying to win the league. While Miedema may still be trying to get her fitness and form back to the levels she showed before her ACL injury and then latterly her knee surgery last season. The signing of the Dutch international is a big one. If Miedema can even score 10-15 goals then it can help push City to the title potentially and with the possibility of a Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema partnership it’s a frightening prospect for many WSL defences that really can give them an extra edge.
Player to watch?
Jess Park - The young Lioness shined for Gareth Taylor’s side last season many times in the second half of the campaign, and she showed why she is one of the most talented young players in the WSL getting nine goal involvements in 18 games in the league. At just 22-years-old she will just continue to get better and be a problem for defences up and down the league. You’d expect there is a strong chance of her thriving even more as a regular starter in this City team.
Breakout young player?
Naomi Layzell - They’ve signed her in this summer transfer window from last season’s relegated team Bristol City where she was one of their better-performing players and emerged as one to watch for the future. She showed a few very good individual displays with Bristol City last season and now in this campaign at a new club, she finds herself in an environment surrounded by other top players and could thrive as one of Manchester City’s defensive options.
Prediction?
So Manchester City have strengthened with more quality added to their attacking options and signing Miedema feels like a chance to have that extra edge that could carry them to a first WSL title since 2016. However, I do wonder if they needed to make an extra defensive signing, maybe some more proven quality in that area. I still think they challenge, but they might be the bridesmaids once again.
2nd - Brad
They came so close to winning the title last season, however, late injuries to Khadija Shaw and Khiara Keating plus that late defeat to Arsenal appeared to stop them. But I feel like this time around, the hunger will be there a lot more and the addition of Vivianne Miedema and also Jill Roord coming back from injury too, it’s hard to look past this squad as the potential champions.
1st (champions) - Regan
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Manchester United
Last season: 5th
Manager/Head Coach: Marc Skinner
The team finally won its first major trophy with the Women’s FA Cup last season, however, the league campaign in the WSL was one to put behind them after a disappointing fifth-place finish given their lofty standards. It was only two seasons ago when they were right in and amongst a title race with Chelsea, but one year later it was anything but that.
A change has happened at the top of the club, but there’s no change in management as Marc Skinner signed on for another season. Change has also been forced upon some of their squad options given numerous big-name departures to their team this summer namely Mary Earps, Katie Zelem and Lucia Garcia all moving onto new clubs. Then there was the news of defender Hannah Blundell announcing her pregnancy, meaning she won’t be playing this season either. They have had to do some business this summer if they are to have a chance of competing for a top three spot.
It’s safe to say that they have been active in the transfer window trying to improve their squad. They’ve added some firepower up front with Elisabeth Terland now in with the squad, plus they’ve made Melvine Malard a full-time Manchester United player after her loan spell last season. They’ve added some up-and-coming players to their squad too with the additions of Simi Awujo and Anna Sandberg. Then there are the two experienced players, firstly Dominique Janssen is back in the WSL after a few years away and then a surprise move for Celin Bizet from Tottenham adds another wide-player option for them as well.
There are a couple of questions being asked with Manchester United right now but just looking particularly at the squad itself in this case. Did they need to sign a new goalkeeper? It does seem that trust will be given to one of their current options which perhaps could be Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Plus there’s the defensive depth and issue they’ll have this season with Hannah Blundell now unavailable. While the transfer window seems to have been positive, you do wonder how things will play out for United as this campaign goes on.
It’s going to be a pretty big season for some players as well you feel. A huge honour has been given to Maya Le Tissier who is now club captain. Then there is Grace Clinton now fully in with the Manchester United squad and why wouldn’t they want her this season after how well the last year has gone for her? The club’s long-term players will have important roles in making sure United are back competing again with the best in the league. Whether it happens or not will be the defining factor.
Standout new signing?
Elisabeth Terland - After leaving Brighton earlier this summer, the Norwegian striker has a new home at Manchester United. In signing for United she definitely can reach another level given she is only 23-years-old and with the quality of players around her, she could find the net countless times once again. She was Brighton’s top scorer last season with 13 goals in the league and if she can replicate that this season with this United team, then big things could happen for them.
Player to watch?
Grace Clinton - Fresh off her rewarding season-long loan with Tottenham where she really did have a breakout campaign and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year after four goals and four assists, plus many fantastic individual performances at Spurs. Clinton is staying with Manchester United now and is surely a real player to watch this season. She could absolutely grow into a world-class midfielder over the next few seasons and become an integral part of United’s midfield.
Breakout young player?
Emma Watson - After missing all of last season with an ACL injury, people may have forgotten that big things could still be expected out of the Scottish international. She has had a full pre-season behind her and the 18-year-old midfielder is another young talent that United have on their books and one that if given the minutes, can perhaps take her opportunity when she gets the chance.
Prediction?
Any sort of positivity around Manchester United right now is needed with this team. Seeing Marc Skinner still in charge does make me cautious about whether they can compete for the top three again. However, I do like a lot of the transfer business that they have done. If Terland gets close to what she had done last season then that is a huge positive. I think they just miss out on the top three though.
4th - Brad
Losing Mary Earps, Katie Zelem and Lucia Garcia could be big for Manchester United, but with the additions they have made this summer, I see a lot of positives about the team this season and it’s needed after such a poor 2023/24 league campaign. However, the big question for me surrounding the team is in the goalkeeping department, not the quality of Phallon Tullis-Joyce of course, but how will she fare in taking on the role as the new No:1 choice in goal now.
4th - Regan
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Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: 6th
Manager/Head Coach: Robert Vilahamn
Having set the foundations last season, Tottenham will be aiming to show a sign of progress heading into the second campaign under Robert Vilahamn and look to even finish higher than the sixth-placed finish they managed last time around where there had been a few positive signs with them. However, this summer has been intriguing with them in terms of squad improvement but also with departures too.
Starting with some of their outgoings, the big one is obviously seeing Celin Bizet leave after her release clause was met by Manchester United which came seemingly out of nowhere in the last few weeks of the window. In terms of players that have departed, it’s been more or less players who weren’t regulars in the team such as goalkeeper Barbara Votiková, Ramona Petzelberger and Rosella Ayane on loan.
With the players brought in, you can tell that they have tried to bring in experienced players and proven quality at a high level shown with the likes of Clare Hunt, Hayley Raso and Maite Oroz signing for Spurs who should all add in something that suits the needs that Tottenham are after. One player signed on a permanent deal who will know enough already about this current Tottenham side is Amanda Nildén who was on loan last season with Spurs, but as said she is now with them permanently. Plus bringing in Anna Csiki and Ella Morris from their respective clubs and a short-term loan deal for Katelin Talbert could be good for squad depth.
A lot of the players Tottenham have in their team are very versatile, which gives them a lot of flexibility with formations and positions in how they set up. Their style of play was often talked about last season with mixed results from high-scoring defeats to low-scoring victories, so you’d expect them to have figured out a few things maybe even tweaked areas here and there in how organised they want to be. They certainly have a good enough squad to not worry about being down too far towards the lower half especially when you have strong forwards in Martha Thomas and Beth England, which will be interesting to see if it’s still one or the other who starts more regularly or perhaps there is a way found to start both.
There are some areas that do leave a couple of questions, for example, will they have the same creativity output that Grace Clinton and even Celin Bizet brought to the team last season, plus there are no guarantees that their new signings will have an immediate impact. On paper, it doesn’t feel like Spurs have massively strengthened and have left certain areas a little short. But they should still have a good enough team to at least be somewhat competitive.
Standout new signing?
Clare Hunt - She feels like an upgrade on some of the defensive options that Tottenham do have at the club already. She’s bringing in proven experience at playing at a high level. She can defend well off crosses and set-pieces which were areas where Spurs struggled last season and she can play well with the ball at her feet. Hayley Raso would be a shout also as well as Maite Oroz, but in terms of strengthening an area that needed improving, Clare Hunt’s signing is one that should prove to be a good one for Tottenham.
Player to watch?
Jessica Naz - She took a real step up last season for Tottenham having become a regular in the starting eleven and while her attacking output was low, she did show some good performances and this season there will be an expectation on her to step up more in terms of chance creation. If she does add more goal contributions then she could be receiving England call-ups a lot more regularly.
Breakout young player?
Ella Morris - Signed from Southampton this summer, the 21-year-old may not start many games in the early stages of the season, however, she is someone who is a high-rated prospect and has been highlighted by Robert Vilahamn a lot in pre-season. Some of her attributes are said to include her speed and that she is strong defensively and going forward. It will be interesting to see how her development is handled given Ashleigh Neville is unlikely to just be dropped from the squad, so how much time she gets to play in defence for Spurs this season will be something to keep an eye on.
Prediction?
I am a bit unsure about Tottenham heading into this season. I do wonder if they strengthened well enough in key areas as their creativity benefitted heavily from Grace Clinton and Celin Bizet. Those two aren’t there now and it’s tough to guess whether their newer players will take up those responsibilities. They’re gonna need another big season goal-scoring-wise as well from one of Beth England or Martha Thomas as well for me.
8th - Brad
Tottenham are one of those sides that will either blow you away with their performances or have you questioning why they are so bad. The summer signings of Hayley Raso and Clare Hunt are very good for them, but the departure of Celin Bizet and not signing Grace Clinton permanently will be hard for them to replace. I still think a mid-table finish is fair for them.
7th - Regan
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West Ham United
Last season: 11th
Manager/Head Coach: Rehanne Skinner
It’s been another busy summer at West Ham with yet another high turnover of players in the squad, however this summer the impact of their departures could be felt a lot more largely given the names that have left them. After Rehanne Skinner’s side finished just above the bottom of the table and survived, they will be hoping that this time things will be different and maybe they will show a sign of progression.
They’ve lost some real key players to their team more so due to expired contracts that were not renewed. Mackenzie Arnold left for Portland Thorns, Honoka Hayashi joined Everton, Risa Shimizu signed for Manchester City and Hawa Cissoko moved to Roma, plus many more. Those four in particular, were regulars in the starting XI last season and seasons before, but now they have had to replace them if they are to have a chance of avoiding another season down near the bottom.
Out of the nine new signings that they have brought in, only two of them have experience of playing in the WSL before. One is Li Mengwen who was signed on deadline day in a season-long loan from Brighton and the other is Shelina Zadorsky who was actually on loan with West Ham last season but now joined them permanently. As for their flurry of international players who have signed, it is going to be interesting to see how many of them adapt well and also how quickly they can do so. It’s a bit of a risk that West Ham have taken with some of their transfer business.
Out of those who have remained with the team there are still some bright sparks in there who will be relied upon to offer any impact on the team. Their two top scorers from last season Riko Ueki and Viviane Asseyi are expected to continue to occupy the forward spots. There’s also Katrina Gorry and Kristie Mewis who could get more minutes, plus the return of Dagný Brynjarsdóttir after she was on maternity leave last season. Defensively is where West Ham are probably expected to be tested the most this season and it’ll be intriguing to see how the likes of Kirsty Smith, Shannon Cooke and new goalkeeper Kinga Szemik fare this campaign.
Expecting this to be another challenging season for West Ham and Rehanne Skinner. As has been said it‘s going to so crucial to get their new signings adapted quickly and into the team where they can try and hit the ground running. It does feel at this current time like the departures outweigh the incomings at West Ham which makes us think it could be another difficult campaign to navigate for West Ham.
Standout new signing?
Camila Sáez - The experienced Chilean international joined in the summer from Liga F side Madrid CFF and will hopefully for West Ham be someone who can be a real presence in defence having proven to have done that at clubs and internationally too. She can also operate across the defence as well whether that is in the middle at centre-back or out wide as a full-back which she had done earlier in her career.
Player to watch?
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir - After being away on maternity leave for a year, Brynjarsdóttir is back in the Hammers squad and has steadily worked her way back up to fitness and featured in pre-season. While she may not feature straight from the start at the early stages of the season, there will be hope that she can find the same level she has shown for them in the past and become an important player in midfield for them once again.
Breakout young player?
Anouk Denton - Now she has established herself in West Ham’s squad after appearing in fifteen WSL matches last season for West Ham and also made her debut at U23 level internationally for England. It will be interesting to see if she takes another step forward in her development and becomes even more of a regular in the starting XI. She is someone to keep an eye on this season especially if West Ham do improve on the defensive side of things.
Prediction?
I personally do worry about West Ham this season. The names that left them this summer will leave a big impact and I think it’s hard to guess whether all or even most of their new additions can quickly adjust. They are facing a challenge again to stay in the league for me once again and they might be hoping again that there is one team that has done worse.
11th - Brad
It’s been a hectic summer for the Hammers losing so many key players and also bringing in the most out of everyone in the WSL. How long will it take for this side to be playing consistent football is the big question. The return of Dagný Brynjarsdóttir will be big for them but she alone can’t be the one carrying the team. Another season towards the bottom end I think it will be for West Ham.
10th - Regan
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What are your predictions for this 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League season and how ready are you for the new campaign to begin?