Heading into the home straight of the transfer window, there’s been no rest in WSL, the ink still drying on a number of contracts.
Birmingham City
Still conservative this window, Chloe Arthur was brought in from Bristol City as Birmingham’s second signing of the summer. Although the Blues have lost another young player with Abbey-Leigh Stringer’s departure, Marc Skinner has committed Paige Williams and Emma Follis to new deals for the coming season.
Brighton and Hove
There’s rarely been a quiet day on the south coast as Hope Powell’s Seagulls continue to take shape for their first spell in the top tier. Jodie Brett has come in from Everton as Sophie Harris has swapped the goals at the Hive for those in Crawley. Victoria Williams and Emily Simpkins have made the respective moves from Sunderland at the Belles and will bring a wealth of experience with them.
Bristol City
Although the Vixens have lost Ellie Wilson to the Bees, Belgian international Julie Biesmans has committed her future to the west country club as Tanya Oxtoby has made a handful of canny signings. Lucy Graham of Hibernian and Ertha Cummings from Spartans have both made the switch south of the border as Kiwi Katie Rood has joined from Juventus. More familiar to fans of the league, Gemma Evans has signed from Yeovil as Ali Johnson has made the move from Liverpool.
Chelsea and Manchester City
Unsurprisingly to many neither of England’s top two have had to worry about too many deals at the latter end of the window, Erin Cuthbert’s new deal with the Blues, all the news out of Cobham. The news not so good for City as fan favourite, Izzy Christiansen has followed in Lucy Bronze’s footsteps and made the move to Lyon as Julia Spetsmark has returned to Sweden.
Everton and Yeovil Town
Although Andy Spence lost Jodie Brett to Brighton he’s done well to bring in hot-shot Hannah Cain from Sheffield and fellow young Lioness Abbey-Leigh Stringer from Birmingham. As for Lee Burch at Yeovil, it’s publically been a quiet summer, the only news out of Somerset that of Annie Heatherson penning a new deal with the Glovers.
Reading
Continuing to build and put together a strong squad, Kelly Chambers has continued to strengthen bringing more fire to Reading's attack with a pair of faces familiar to Chelsea fans as Millie Farrow from moved from Bristol with Gemma Davison making the switch from the champions. Backing up the attack, young defender Maz Pacheco has moved from the Belles.
West Ham United
Given a clean-slate when he took over, Matt Beard has plumbed the depths of women’s football around the world, his latest quartet of singings all coming by way of mainland Europe. From American Brooke Hendrix, signed from Brescia to German Julia Simic, signed from Freiburg, to Kiwi Ria Percival from Basel, to young Swiss sensation Alisha Lehmann from Young Boys, there’s been little that’s been predictable.