Sep 17, 2024, 04:08 AM ET
The 2024-25 Women’s Super League (WSL) season kicks off this weekend and, ahead of the first round of fixtures, we take a look at some of the best business from the summer.
Much like last year, we are only including players who are new to the league, so those like Dominique Janssen (who moved to Manchester United from Wolfsburg but has previously played for Arsenal) or Vivianne Miedema (who signed for Manchester City from Arsenal) do not feature, even though both could be key to their respective teams.
Mariona Caldentey, 28, FW, Arsenal
Of all the players to move to the WSL this summer, there are few as well known as Mariona. A World Cup winner with Spain, she claimed three Women’s Champions League titles during her time with Barcelona but moved to Arsenal on a free transfer. A winger by definition, the 28-year-old is at her best when she can drift around the forward line, pulling defenders out of position to open up space for her teammates to attack. Her intelligence and reading of the game will only help the Gunners as they look to bridge the gap to Chelsea and Man City at the top of the league.
Aoba Fujino, 20, FW, Manchester City
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Fast-tracked into the senior Japan squad two years ago, Fujino already has 24 caps despite being only 20 years old, and that should help ease the transition from the WE League’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza to the WSL. A creative attacker who is good on the ball, City fans can expect to see Fujino involved in the buildup more than scoring goals. But, alongside her midfield compatriot Yui Hasegawa, she could go down as one of the smarter signings for City.
Inma Gabarro, 21, FW, Everton
Able to play across the attack as well in midfield, Gabarro caught the eye for Spain during the U-20 World Cup in 2022 with her impressive goal scoring and ability to strike the ball with unerring precision. Already off the mark for the senior team, the 21-year-old was hamstrung by the glut of established talent in Spain and makes her first foray outside of Liga F by leaving Sevilla. The move to the WSL should not only give the attacker a platform to grow her game but add much needed versatility to Everton‘s attack.
Rosa Kafaji, 21, FW, Arsenal
Rosa Kafaji will improve the Arsenal attack for sure. Ryan Pierse – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Kafaji has been “one to watch” for some time, but the 21-year-old announced herself to women’s football fans across Europe last season with four goals for Swedish side BK Häcken in the Champions League. A determined attacker who favours progressive play and is strong on the ball, Kafaji made the move from AIK to Häcken in 2022 to help her game develop, and the transfer to Arsenal should keep the Sweden international on an upward trajectory. Combined with Mariona, the Gunners’ two new signings should add more than a little unpredictability to an attack that routinely fell into the same patterns last season.
Noémie Mouchon, 21, FW, Leicester City
Mouchon enjoyed a healthy goal return at Stade de Reims, where she played under new Leicester City boss Amandine Miquel, and it was no surprise to see the coach waste no time in recruiting the 21-year-old. The 5-foot-9 Mouchon impressed in Leicester’s pre-season campaign, showcasing her ability to play across the attack, and she is adept at setting goals up as she is scoring them.
Maite Oroz, 26, CM, Tottenham
A deadline day signing who could become one of the first names on Tottenham Hotspur‘s teamsheet, Oroz is the type of midfielder who lays the foundations for those around her, lifting the entire team. Known for her line-breaking passes and lightness of touch, the natural deep-lying playmaker is another impressive import from Liga F.
Kiko Seike, 28, FW, Brighton
Defender, midfielder, forward, Seike can do it all — or most of it, at least. Fresh off winning the WE League’s MVP in 2023-24 with Urawa Reds, the Japan international massively stepped up her goal scoring over last season (netting 29 times across all competitions) but her virtuosity is what makes her such a canny pick up by the Seagulls. One of many new faces on the South Coast, success for Brighton & Hove Albion could rest on how fast the pieces come together under new boss Dario Vidosic. But with signings like Seike, there is little question about the talent in the squad.
Chantelle Swaby, 26, CB, Leicester City
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For all the transfer activity we’ve seen in the women’s game over the last few months, there were only a handful of centre-backs moving to WSL clubs, which puts the Jamaica international in the minority. Boasting heaps of experienced from her time with the Reggae Girlz, as well as spells in the U.S., Scotland and France, Swaby should add stability to a Leicester backline that was shaky last season.
Kinga Szemik, 27, GK, West Ham United
There were only a few goalkeepers who made the switch to the WSL this summer, but West Ham United landed themselves a new No. 1. Filling the hole left behind by veteran Mackenzie Arnold, who has joined Portland Thorns FC, Poland international Szemik is an old school shot-stopper, adapt at using her 6-foot frame to repel the ball with an outstretched glove or boot.
Paula Tomás, 23, LB/RB, Aston Villa
A transfer that might have slipped under the radar for some, Aston Villa paid an undisclosed fee to sign the Spain international full-back from Levante. Tomás is comfortable on both the right and left side of the defence, is a strong one-vs.-one defender, and times her interceptions as well as she places her crosses into the box. But, unlike some of her contemporaries, she likes to cut inside when venturing into the final third rather than staying wide.
