WSL returns: Liverpool's Smith coup, Aston Villa reset, but can Spurs adapt?

Liverpool break club record for Olivia Smith

Liverpool have proven once again that they’re not afraid to splash the cash. After forking out £100,000 for Sophie Roman Haug last summer, this year they paid a club-record £210,000 to Sporting Lisbon for 19-year-old Olivia Smith.

So what makes the attacking midfielder worth the money? After one season in Portugal, Smith was vote as the league’s Player of the Year and Young Player of the Season, scoring 13 goals in 18 appearances.

She is also the youngest ever player to play for Canada – doing so at aged 15 in 2019 – and featured at last summer’s Women’s World Cup.

Smith has the potential to be a star, and was Liverpool’s main target this summer. Being able to not only convince her to join, but also to afford to sign the midfielder is a real statement of intent from a team who have aspirations to break the WSL’s top three.

No Clinton, Graham or Bizet for Tottenham

Tottenham must show their evolution this season – especially without Grace Clinton and Kit Graham.

Despite wanting to re-sign Clinton after a breakout loan season, the midfielder opted to stay at Manchester United. She scored four goals and registered four assists in 20 WSL appearances for Spurs, and her standout performances saw her clinch a starting spot for England.

Tottenham were dealt another blow too when Graham suffered an ACL injury, meaning she will miss most of the 2024/25 campaign having played 18 WSL games last season.

A word too on Celin Bizet Ildhusoy, who also moved to Man Utd this summer. Her connection with Clinton was key for Spurs’ creativity last season.

Tottenham have made some good summer signings, including the likes of Hayley Raso, Clare Hunt and Amanda Nilden, which will hopefully go some way in replacing the absent Clinton and Graham.

A positive summer for Aston Villa

It has been a summer reset for Aston Villa. Some may have worried when Carla Ward announced her departure, but the incoming Robert de Pauw brings bundles of experience from coaching on the continent. It could prove to be a shrewd appointment.

And the indications over the last few months have been positive. Villa were unbeaten in pre-season – including a 2-1 win against Manchester City – and have made some impressive signing.

Katie Robinson and Missy Bo-Kearns are regulars in the England senior and U21 squads, while Miri Taylor has signed permanently from Liverpool after her loan spell. The Deadline Day confirmation of Gabi Nunes is exciting too, with the Brazilian helping her country to a silver medal at Paris 2024.

Last season was disappointing for Villa after a successful 2022/23 campaign, but the club look to be back on the right path.

Fran Kirby 2.0 at Brighton

It will be strange to see Fran Kirby in a Brighton shirt. A name synonymous with the famous Chelsea blue, she now finds herself on the south coast as a new era in her career begins.

It is impressive for the Seagulls to attract a player of Kirby’s calibre, especially when a raft of talent departed this summer.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could keep my standards up and help bring those standards into another club,” Kirby said.

“I wanted to stay in this league because I still want to be competing week in and week out and as long as I can help a team progress then that’s what I want to do.

“When I spoke to Brighton and they told me how the owner was behind the women’s game, how much they wanted to invest in it and push it forwards and seeing the facilities here, for me it was a really exciting opportunity and one that I felt I couldn’t really turn down.”

As one of England’s best ever players, Kirby still has plenty to offer and with another Euros squad looming next summer, she will be hoping to influence both Brighton and the Lionesses’ fortunes with her move.

Have West Ham replaced the quality of their outgoing players?

It has been a busy summer at West Ham. Some key first team players like Mackenzie Arnold, Hawa Cissoko and Risa Shimizu have left the club, but there have been moves to replace them.

Perhaps the most key is the permanent signing of Shelina Zadorsky from Tottenham, who has been named as vice captain behind new club skipper Katrina Gorry.

Let’s not forget too that Gorry and Kristie Mewis – who were both big-name January signings – remain with the club, now having had a full pre-season to embed in the squad.

Summer signings have focused largely on youth. Half of the them are under 24, and most of the 10 new signings lack WSL experience. Loan signing Li Mengwen, joining for the season from Brighton, adds some alongside Zadorsky, although she only played in 11 league games last season.

Rehanne Skinner is one of the most experienced WSL coaches left in the league, but she has a big task on her hands to keep West Ham competitive this season.

Can new Leicester manager Miquel bring stability?

Since their promotion in 2021, Leicester have not gone through a season with one manager. Jonathan Morgan, who saw Leicester to the Championship title, made way for Lydia Bedford in their first campaign.

Less than a year later, she was replaced by then-director of football Willie Kirk. He was suspended and then eventually sacked in March after a relationship emerged between the manager and a Leicester player. Jennifer Foster and Emile Heskey have been some of the coaches to take interim charge.

New Foxes boss Amandine Miquel will hoping to bring the same stability that she did at Reims, where she coached for a number of years. She led the French side to their first promotion and into the latter stages of cup competitions.

Leicester have also signed some exciting talent this summer, and the Foxes arguably have a squad that has underachieved. Good performances, perhaps some statements wins and mid-table should be their target after failing to reach above 10th since their promotion, which is not a surprise given the instability off the pitch.

Will Everton push on under Sorensen?

It has been a couple of indifferent seasons under Brian Sorensen. Everton have finished sixth and eighth in the WSL under the Dane, without too many fireworks.

It is likely that off-field issues around the ownership of the club and points deductions for the men’s side will have had an impact, but the women’s team have their own competitive aspirations.

Sorensen signed a new two-year deal in April and rarely have Everton been dragged into relegation danger with him. However, many in the club – likely the manager and players too – will want to push on further.

Perhaps a run in cup competitions is a good place to start, and there has been astute summer recruitment, as the Toffees looks towards a successful 2024/25 campaign.

Can Crystal Palace avoid relegation?

It’s the biggest question for any newly-promoted side. With it being their first season in the WSL, Crystal Palace will be among the contenders to battle relegation.

But the Eagles have brought in players with WSL experience such as Josie Green, Shae Yanez and Katrine Veje, along with some promising youngsters.

They will need to share their knowledge among a team with plenty of Championship nous, but little in England’s top flight. The step up is huge, but other teams have proven that being the WSL newbie doesn’t always mean an immediate relegation.

The likes of Liverpool, Aston Villa and Leicester have all been promoted in recent years and are now competitive WSL teams. Crystal Palace can learn lessons from them and hope to secure their own future in the league.

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WSL returns: Liverpool's Smith coup, Aston Villa reset, but can Spurs adapt?

Liverpool break club record for Olivia Smith