WSL Summer Transfers: All the Ins and Outs at Every Club
Women's Super League clubs are already preparing for the start of the 2020/21 season, with the summer transfer window now in full swing.
Here's a roundup of new signing and every departure this summer...
Arsenal
Following on from the January capture of Caitlin Foord, there is a distinct Australian theme to Arsenal's summer recruitment as they try and take the title back from Chelsea. Steph Catley and Lydia Williams were both teammates of Foord in last summer's World Cup squad. Might that be something to do with the fact that manager Joe Montemurro is...Australian? We couldn't comment.
In:
Steph Catley (DF) - Melbourne City
Malin Gut (MF) - Grasshopper
Lydia Williams (GK) - Melbourne City
Noelle Maritz (DF) - Wolfsburg
Lotte Mubben-Woy (DF) - University of North Carolina
Out:
Louise Quinn (DF) - Fiorentina
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (GK) - Atletico Madrid
Katrina Veje (MF) - Rosengard
Danielle Carter (FW) - Reading
Emma Mitchell (DF) - Reading
Ruby Grant (MF) - West Ham
Melissa Filis (MF) - London Bees
Aston Villa
Aston Villa are stepping into the professional top-flight world of the WSL for the first time and changes were inevitable as they aim to stay at the higher level. Among those who have been released is defender Jade Richards, who joined the club at the Under-10 age group.
In:
Chloe Arthur (MF) - Birmingham
Freya Gregory (MF) - Birmingham
Anita Asante (DF) - Chelsea
Diane Silva (FW) - Sporting CP
Lisa Weiss (GK) - Lyon
Caroline Siems (DF) - Turbine Potsdam
Ramona Petzelberger (MF) - Essen
Stine Larsen (FW) - Fleury 91
Abbey Jones (MF) - Birmingham
Olivia Rebjohn (MF) - Birmingham
Out:
Jade Richards (DF) - Blackburn
Kerri Welsh (FW) - released
Alice Hassall (MF) - Coventry United
Phoebe Warner (MF) - Coventry United
Melissa Johnson (FW) - Sheffield United
Charlotte Greengrass (DF) - Nottingham Forest
Sophie Maierhofer (MF) - Duisburg
Daniela Kosinska (GK) - Stoke
Birmingham City
The 2019/20 season was a tough one for Birmingham after a number of key players left last summer, with midfielder Emma Follis even stepping down a level to join Aston Villa. This season will be tougher still, with Lucy Staniforth and Rachel Williams the most high profile among another raft of departures.
In:
Christie Murray (MF) - Liverpool
Rachel Corsie (DF) - Utah Royals (loan)
Chloe McCarron (MF) - Linfield
Jamie-Lee Napier (DF) - Chelsea (loan)
Destiney Toussaint (MF) - unattached
Georgia Brougham (DF) - Everton (loan)
Mollie Green (MF) - Manchester United
Out:
Brianna Visalli (MF) - Houston Dash
Adrienne Jordan (DF) - OL Reign
Freya Gregory (DF) - Aston Villa
Abbey Jones (MF) - Aston Villa
Olivia Rebjohn (MF) - Aston Villa
Alexandra Brooks (GK) - Blackburn
Chloe Arthur (MF) - Aston Villa
Lucy Staniforth (MF) - Manchester United
Kerys Harrop (DF) - Tottenham
Rachel Williams (FW) - Tottenham
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton have added international midfielders Inessa Kaagman and Nora Heroum to their squad this summer. The former has joined from Everton and made her Netherlands debut last year, while the latter has played over 70 times for Finland.
In:
Katie Startup (GK) - Charlton
Katie Robinson (MF) - Bristol City
Nora Heroum (MF) - AC Milan
Inessa Kaagman (MF) - Everton
Lee Geum-min (FW) - Manchester City (loan)
Rebekah Stott (DF) - Melbourne City
Denise O'Sullivan (FW) - North Carolina Courage (loan)
Out:
Lea Le Garrec (MF) - Fleury 91
Katie Natkiel (MF) - Crystal Palace
Amanda Nilden (MF) - Eskilstuna United
Sophie Harris (GK) - Watford
Fern Whelan (DF) - retired
Ini Umotong (FW) - Vaxjo
Matile Lundorf (DF) - Juventus
Laure Hartley (GK) - Lewes (loan)
Ellie Hack (DF) - Lewes (loan)
Laura Rafferty (DF) - Bristol City (loan)
Bethan Roe (DF) - Charlton (loan)
Bristol City
Two wins in the final five games of last season gave Bristol City enough points to keep out of the relegation zone in the end. It might be wishful to think they will have an easier ride in the new season but new faces have come in to improve the squad.
In:
Ella Mastrantonio (MF) - Western Sydney Wanderers
Aimee Palmer (MF) - Manchester United
Megan Wynne (MF) - Tottenham
Jemma Purfield (DF) - Liverpool
Emma Bissell (FW) - Manchester City
Benedicte Haaland (GK) - Lugano
Laura Rafferty (DF) - Brighton (loan)
Out:
Poppy Pattinson (MF) - Everton
Olivia Chance (MF) - released
Katie Robinson (MF) - Brighton
Eartha Cummings (GK) - Charlton
Jeon Ga-eul (FW) - Reading
Frankie Brown (DF) - released
Loren Dykes (DF) - Cardiff
Chelsea
An unbeaten Chelsea won the 2019/20 title on points per game following the season being abandoned. They have added quality to their squad, probably with an eye on their return to the Women's Champions League and the extra demands it brings.
In:
Melanie Leupolz (MF) - Bayern Munich
Niamh Charles (FW) - Liverpool
Jessie Fleming (MF) - UCLA
Pernille Harder (FW) - Wolfsburg
Out:
Adelina Engman (FW) - Montpellier
Deanna Cooper (DF) - Reading
Anita Asante (DF) - Aston Villa
Ramona Bachmann (FW) - Paris Saint-Germain
Jamie-Lee Napier (DF) - Birmingham (loan)
Everton
Everton were resurgent in 2019/20 after flirting with relegation the season before and are now looking to kick on again. Chloe Kelly is a big loss following her exit to Manchester City, but signing France international Valerie Gauvin is a major coup for the Toffees.
In:
Poppy Pattinson (MF) - Bristol City
Ingrid Moe Wold (DF) - Madrid CFF
Nicoline Sorensen (FW) - Brondby
Rikke Sevecke (DF) - Fleury 91
Valerie Gauvin (FW) - Montpellier
Claire Emslie (FW) - Orlando Pride (loan)
Damaris Egurrola (MF) - Athletic Bilbao
Out:
Inessa Kaagman (MF) - Brighton
Hannah Cain (FW) - Leicester
Kirstie Levell (GK) - Leicester
Taylor Hinds (DF) - Liverpool
Chloe Kelly (FW) - Manchester City
Emma Doyle (MF) - Blackburn
Georgia Brougham (DF) - Birmingham (loan)
Hannah Coan (DF) - Sheffield United (loan)
Elise Hughes (FW) - Blackburn (loan)
Kika van Es (DF) - Twente
Manchester City
Manchester City were actually ahead of Chelsea before the 2019/20 season was abandoned and the title went to west London on points per game. That will only motivate City, who are under new manager Gareth Taylor to challenge harder in 2020/21.
In:
Chloe Kelly (FW) - Everton
Sam Mewis (MF) - North Carolina Courage
Rose Lavelle (MF) - OL Reign
Lucy Bronze (DF) - Lyon
Alex Greenwood (DF) - Lyon
Out:
Tessa Wullaert (FW) - Anderlecht
Pauline Bremer (FW) - Wolfsburg
Lee Geum-min (FW) - Brighton (loan)
Matilde Fidalgo (DF) - Benfica
Emma Bissell (FW) - Bristol City
Manchester United
Manchester United enjoyed an impressive debut season in the WSL following their 2019 promotion and have now set about trying to now bridge the gap to the league's big three. USWNT forwards Tobin Heath and Christen Press are the biggest summer signings anywhere in the league.
In:
Carrie Jones (MF) - Cardiff
Lucy Staniforth (MF) - Birmingham
Ona Batlle (DF) - Levante
Ivana Fuso (FW) - Basel
Tobin Heath (FW) - Portland Thorns
Christen Press (FW) - Utah Royals
Alessia Russo (MF) - University of North Carolina
Out:
Aurora Mikalsen (GK) - Tottenham
Charlotte Newsham (DF) - Blackburn
Aimee Palmer (MF) - Bristol City
Lizzie Arnot (FW) - Rangers
Siobhan Chamberlain (GK) - retired
Fran Bentley (GK) - Blackburn (loan)
Mollie Green (MF) - Birmingham
Reading
Reading have snapped up former Arsenal striker Danielle Carter this summer. The 27-year-old had been with the Gunners since 2009 and despite injury problems is a valuable asset for the Royals in their quest to improve on a fifth-placed finish.
In:
Emma Mitchell (DF) - Arsenal
Danielle Carter (FW) - Arsenal
Deanna Cooper (DF) - Chelsea
Erin Nayler (GK) - Bordeaux
Jess Fishlock (MF) - OL Reign (loan)
Jeon Ga-eul (FW) - Bristol City
Out:
Jade Moore (MF) - Orlando Pride
Rachael Laws (GK) - Liverpool
Maz Pacheco (DF) - West Ham
Jo Potter (DF) - released
Sophie Howard (DF) - Leicester
Remi Allen (MF) - Leicester
Charlie Estcourt (MF) - London Bees
Millie Farrow (FW) - Leicester
Maxime Bennink (FW) - PEC Zwolle
Lisa-Marie Karlseng Utland (FW) - Rosenborg
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham are looking to consolidate their place in the WSL after successfully managing the transition to a professional top flight club last season and have trumped every signing in the summer market by landing USWNT superstar Alex Morgan.
In:
Kerys Harrop (DF) - Birmingham
Rachel Williams (FW) - Birmingham
Aurora Mikalsen (GK) - Manchester United
Alanna Kennedy (DF) - Orlando Pride (loan)
Shelina Zadorsky (DF) - Orlando Pride (loan)
Alex Morgan (FW) - Orlando Pride
Out:
Sophie McLean (MF) - London Bees
Chloe Morgan (GK) - Crystal Palace
Coral-Jade Haines (MF) - Crystal Palace
Megan Wynne (MF) - Bristol City
Jenna Schillaci (DF) - retired
West Ham United
West Ham fairly comfortably remained a WSL side last season and with the right recruitment this summer will fancy their chances of better competing with the league's middle block that contains Manchester United, Reading, Tottenham and Everton.
In:
MacKenzie Arnold (GK) - Brisbane Roar
Maz Pacheco (DF) - Reading
Katerina Svitkova (MF) - Slavia Prague
Hawa Cissoko (DF) - ASJ Soyaux
Nor Mustafa (FW) - Eskilstuna United
Ruby Grant (MF) - Arsenal
Emily van Egmond (MF) - Orlando Pride (loan)
Rachel Daly (FW) - Houston Dash (loan)
Out:
Katharina Baunach (DF) - retired
Anna Moorhouse (GK) - Bordeaux
Tessel Middag (MF) - Fiorentina
Esmee de Graaf (MF) - Leicester
Vyan Sampson (DF) - released
Ruesha Littlejohn (FW) - Leicester
Olivia Smith (DF) - London Bees
Julia Simic (MF) - AC Milan
Filippa Wallen (DF) - Apollon Limassol
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (FW) - Napoli
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