Arsenal are looking to win their first Women's Super League title since 2019 after signing eight new players, while can London City Lionesses' big-spending summer - including the purchase of Alexia Putellas, "the biggest signing the league has seen" - lead them to an unlikely title challenge? Manchester City managed to keep hold of FWA Women's Footballer of the Year Bunny Shaw, but have the champions done enough business to retain their title? Meanwhile, Chelsea and Manchester United head into the new campaign with questions over whether they have strengthened enough to be challenging for the title, in contrast to West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, who have both enjoyed eye-catching summers.
So, as the WSL transfer window finally slams shut for business, we look at the winners and losers from the summer with the new season set to get under way on Friday Night when London City host Man Utd live on Sky Sports. If the answer to the question 'Who has improved most this window?' isn't Arsenal or London City, then they need to have a word with their recruitment teams. Elisa De Almeida is Arsenal's eighth new signing and most of the players brought in are at a point in their career they're supposed to be at their peak.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Big things are expected of Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Geraldine Reuteler and others as the club looks to win their first WSL title since 2019. As for London City - another sixth-placed finish after their star-studded signing drive won't be tolerated. Arsenal are ecstatic with their window, they feel as though they have a squad ready to take on all comers.
Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Misa Rodriguez, Selina Cerci and Elisa De Almeida are expected to raise standards and help Arsenal get over the hump, and Renee Slegers is already chuffed with the impact they're making at London Colney. The club's really high on Lisa Baum's potential, she's been turning heads in training. They also have Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang to come back before the end of the year, which means the future's bright.
It should pay off [London City's summer spending]. They've signed the favourite for this year's Ballon d'Or (Alexia Putellas), a Champions League-winning centre-back (Mapi Leon) and a goalkeeper once named the best in the world (Mary Earps). Regardless of age, these players have the quality and character to make London City contenders.
You can argue it's an old squad, you can argue there's a lot of pressure to click quickly and you can argue whether the coach has the big-game and big-name experience, but talent-wise, it's one heck of a squad. Some pundits have them as title challengers, some as top-three entrants and some as major disappointments. The fun is in seeing how this plays out.
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