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The Addicks’ WSL Rebuild: Karen Hills’ Summer of Change

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By Millie Winslett

Image via @elliemason16 on Instagram

Charlton Athletic are preparing for their first season back in the top flight of women’s football since the club’s collapse and following relegation in 2007. Head Coach Karen Hills led her team to Women’s Super League promotion after beating Leicester City on penalties in the league’s historic first play-off game.

Hills’ team is one of three newly promoted sides alongside Birmingham City and Crystal Palace and looks to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with after coming agonisingly close to promotion previously, finishing third, second and fourth in three consecutive seasons in the WSL2.

The Addicks have made numerous changes to their squad as they prepare for their opening fixture against Liverpool on September 6th. Charlton Athletic announced six departures from their promotion-winning side following the expiration of their contracts. Departures saw defender Gracie Pearse sign for Sheffield United after two and half years, midfielder Emma Bissell sign for Bristol City and the midfielder Frankie Finlayson, who established herself in the senior squad after playing PGA, leaves with no confirmed club. Karin Muya has joined Watford after three years, and experienced midfielder Katie Bradley, who scored 13 goals across her two-year spell at the club, has penned a deal with Newcastle United. Finally, Amalie Thestrup has signed for Danish side Brøndby, leaving a significant loss on Charlton’s attack and young midfielder Keira Flannery has returned to parent club West Ham after a season-long loan.

Despite these outgoings changing how Hills’s team will line up this season, there is still familiarity surrounding the team, with the club extending the contracts of multiple players who were part of the promotion-winning squad. Goalkeeper Anna Pederson has extended her contract for one year alongside defenders Ellie Mason, Lucia Lobato, Gloria Siber, Elisha N’Dow and Charlotte Newsham. Carla Humphrey has extended her contract for one year after her maternity leave, with fellow midfielder Lucy Fitzgerald and forward Gillian Kenney also set to stay at the club until 2027. 

After securing their retained list of players, the Addicks kicked off their transfer window with loan signing Paula Partido. The 21-year-old Spaniard is joining Hills’ squad from London City Lionesses on a season-long loan. Partido signed for London City in August 2025, from Real Madrid, ahead of their first season in the WSL. However, she kicked off the 2025/26 season on loan to Spanish team Logroño United where she made 16 appearances with one goal and one assist before being recalled to her parent club in the January transfer window. Taking on the number seven, Partido is a versatile player who can play both in midfield and as a forward, providing a talented attacking option for the Addicks. 

Hills added another young, versatile player in Grace Johnston. The defender, who is also comfortable in midfield, signed a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further year. Johnston played every minute of Perth Glory’s 2025/26 campaign, earning herself Perth’s 2026 Best Young Player.

Next came goalkeeper Anna Koivunen, who signed from Swedish side Djurgårdens. The Finnish international played in last year’s Women’s Euros in Switzerland, keeping a clean sheet in their opening game against Iceland. Koivunen will take the number 24; while she won’t be the first-choice goalkeeper, she will be an excellent option for cup games and a long-term solution in between the sticks.

Hills continued to strengthen her midfield by bringing in Leah Davidson on a two-year deal from Melbourne City. The midfielder made 80 appearances, winning the premiership three times, including the 2025/26 season. 

Then came another loan signee, Lorena Azzuro. Taking on the number nine for a season from Paris FC, Azzuro is an out-and-out striker who has scored 8 goals in 19 appearances since her signing with the club in August 2025. The young French forward will bring an exciting flair to the Addicks’ attack, but having only played in France, it may take time to adapt to the WSL.

Rounding up their transfer window are two players who are not shy of the competitive nature of the WSL. First came experienced full-back Ashleigh Neville. The new number 29 made 115 WSL appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, making her the first Spurs player to reach 100 appearances in the league. Her success for Spurs does not end there, with her playing a vital role as a historic finalist in the FA Cup final at Wembley back in 2024. In January 2026, Neville signed for Leicester City, making 13 appearances across all competitions. Neville will bring an insightful experience to Charlton, knowing both the nature of the league and its competitors well.

Complementing her comes Australian International Emily Van Egmond. The box-to-box midfielder, who can bring an attacking threat to the Addicks, signed from Leicester City on a one-year contract with an option to extend. Van Egmond has a plethora of experience in senior football, having played in the NWSL, Frauen-Bundesliga and both the WSL and WSL2. Having plenty of experience in the English league, Van Egmond made 21 appearances for West Ham and 15 starting appearances for Leicester City and is no stranger to fighting relegation. The midfielder made her senior debut for the Matildas in 2010, currently securing 33 goals and over 170 appearances. This experience both domestically and internationally will bring leadership in a particularly young side. 

Overall, Charlton Athletic have had a successful transfer window, Hills has added much-needed experience to her squad while retaining the youthful energy that secured promotion. The new arrivals have strengthened key areas across the pitch, particularly in attack following the departures of several players whose contracts expired, while also adding valuable leadership and experience to help guide the younger members of the squad.

However, questions remain over the consistency and continuity of the squad, with significant changes being made to the team that became victorious in the play-offs. This means Hills must integrate several new players and build effective chemistry within the squad in time for the WSL’s opening fixture. How quickly the new-look Charlton side can gel could prove crucial in how they return to the top flight. 

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WHATS HAPPENING IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW FOR BRIGHTON?

Image via Paul Hazelwood (Brighton FC)

By Sophie Hodson

The Seagulls have quietly been going along with their business and have made
some exciting signings so far this summer. Of course, with new singings comes
outgoings too and the Seagulls have had to say goodbye to some fan favourites.

OUTGOINGS:
Sophie Baggaley, Libby Bance and Rosa Kafaji have all departed the club upon the
ending of their contracts.


Baggaley joined the club in 2023 and has played a crucial role between the posts for the past 3 years. At the end of the 2023/24 season, she was even voted players’
player by her teammates. The keeper has now officially signed with Birmingham City who were recently promoted to the WSL. Following seven years at the Albion, Bance has made a permanent move to Leicester City. The 23-year-old midfielder has 44 appearances for Brighton but spent her most recent years on loan.

Rosa Kafaji has 24 appearances for the Seagulls with two goals to her name. However, with her loan spell ending this summer, she returned to her parent club Arsenal and has since permanently signed with London City Lionesses.


Another player that has left the club is the Dutch midfielder, Nadine Noordam. After
some memorable moments with Brighton, including scoring the winning goal to send her side to their first FA Cup Final in history, Noordam has transferred back to Ajax.


Rachel McLauchlan also departs the club, making a move to Newcastle United. The
midfielder was with the Albion for 3 years.

NEW SIGNINGS:
So far this summer, the Albion have made 7 signings who will hopefully help the
team reach new heights next season.


A major transfer is the move of Gabby George from Manchester United. The 29-
year-old has been a consistent performing defender for the Red Devils since joining
in 2023 and was a part of the squad which won the FA Cup in 2024. Dario Vidošić
believes that George is the perfect addition for them: “We have big ambitions for the season ahead and adding a player of Gabby’s calibre and character is a massive
step forward for us”.

In addition, the club have also brought in Lia Walti from Juventus for an undisclosed
fee. The Swiss international is most well known for her time at Arsenal, the club whom she won the Champions League with in 2025. This is an exciting transfer for the Albion who will rely on her experience and midfield presence on the field.
In other positions, Brighton have singed Eleanor Heeps from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 22-year-old has further experience with loan spells at Blackburn Rovers,
Coventry United and Sheffield United.


Emily Murphy is another addition to the club, who signed from Newcastle United and also represents the Republic of Ireland at senior level.


Brighton have also signed Sophie Peskett, who leaves Ipswich Town after seven
years. Additionally, they have signed Emilie Joramo on a free transfer from
Hammarby, a Norwegian midfielder. Polish forward, Nadia Krezyman also joins the
club with an incredible record of appearances, goals and assists to her name from
her previous side, Dijon.

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Bragging rights shared in a Battle of the English and European Champions 

photo taken from @mancitywomen on X

Manchester City came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Barcelona as European and League Champions faced off against each other at the Joie Stadium. Vicky Lopez, Caroline Graham Hansen, Grace Clinton and Alex Greenwood were all on the scoresheet with many youngsters making their mark in the first team. 

Barcelona kicked off the match and were quick off the blocks. An early chance from Ewa Pajor within the first minute saw the effort go over the bar but in five minutes, Caroline Graham Hansen got the opener. Manchester City continually played out from the back in the opening minutes which helped Hansen and gave her the opportunity to score. Vicky Lopez found Hansen in space and her shot from just outside the box found the bottom left corner, giving the European Champions the lead. 

Since the opener, both sides had chances with Barcelona having more of the two. Caroline Graham Hansen and Claudia Pina for Barcelona and Sam Coffey for Manchester City all had chances before a second for Barcelona went in, in the 24th minute. After bringing the ball into the attacking third all the way down the pitch, Vicky Lopez slotted it to Hansen to adjust her position and then around 12 yards out, Lopez fired it into the left side of the net.  

Half an hour in, the link up from last season that everyone knew so well struck again as Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw linked up. A cross from Hemp on the left side found the head of Shaw but went over and failed to find the back of the net. In the 42nd minute, there were blocks from Rebecca Knaak and Alex Greenwood back to back to help prevent a third for Barcelona. 

Half-time: Manchester City 0-2 Barcelona 

Manchester City needed a reaction in the second half and they did just that. 4 minutes into the half saw Aoba Fujino have a shot on goal but a block from Sydney made it loop over the bar. Sprinting from the half way line, Bunny Shaw found Alex Greenwood in the middle and her shot from around 12 yards out found the back of the net in the 57th minute, halving the deficit. 

10 minutes later saw the equaliser from Grace Clinton as her attempt from over 12 yards out found the bottom right corner of the net. Mary Fowler saw the midfielder coming into the space and her shot beat the recent substitute, Gemma in goal. After the changes, Manchester City improved massively with youngster Freya Hirons having an impact during her home debut. 

Full-time: Manchester City 2-2 Barcelona 

What’s next for both teams: 

After preseason, both teams focus on their respective league competitions. Manchester City will host Birmingham City first on Sunday 6th September in the WSL with kick off commencing at 2:30PM. Meanwhile for Barcelona, they have their first game a week prior to the WSL on the 30th August. They are set to host CD Tenerife with a kick off commencing at 6PM. 

Starting 11: 

Manchester City: Yamashita (Cuming 62’), Casparij (Lewis 62’), Rose (Prior 62’), Knaak (Davies 62’), Greenwood © (Shimizu 62’), Coffey (Hasegawa 46’), Blindkilde Brown, Fujino (Davis 62’), Clinton (Burdon 80’), Hemp (Fowler 62’), Shaw (Hirons 62’). 

Unused Substitutes: Walker. 

Goals: Greenwood (57’), Clinton (67’)

Barcelona: Cata Coll (Gemma Font 57’), Martina Fernández (Marta Torrejón 57’), Irene Paredes (Charlotta 57’), Van Asten (Maria Ll 76’), Esmee Brugts (Daniela 76’), Vicky López (Carolina 57’), Sydney Schertenleib (Lua Arufe 76’), Parti Guijarro (Bea Pérez 76’), Claudia Pina (Elena Vizuete 57’), Caroline Graham Hansen (Liv 76’), Ewa Pajor (Mayssa 76’). 

Goals: Graham (5’), VIcky (24’) 

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AMY MERRICKS SHOWS FAITH IN SQUAD AS BIRMINGHAM CITY PREPARE FOR WSL RETURN

Image via @bcfcwomen on instagram

Birmingham City are one of the three clubs entering the WSL this year after being promoted from the second division as champions. The club was a founding member of the FA WSL in 2010 and stayed in the league until their relegation in 2021. However, five years later, they are back, and with an entirely new look too.

Amy Merricks was appointed as head coach in April 2024 and helped the team finish second in the league the following year. Now, in 2026 they just finished the season as FA WSL2 Champions, securing themselves a spot in the WSL, back where they belong.

As expected, the club has had an influx of departures as well as incomings in order to get the squad to where they need to be ahead of the upcoming season. Departures saw Poppy Irvine leave for Norwich City, Michaela Kovacs depart for Brondby, Lily Agg retire from football after successive injuries and take up a managing role at Athlone Town FC, Teagan McGowan sign at Ipswich Town, Christie Harrison Murray make the move to Burnley and  Lucy Quinn join Sheffield United. Adrianna Franch and Shanade Hopcroft have also left the club however their futures are currently unknown, with neither of them having been announced to sign for new clubs so far. The club has also seen the departure of three former loanees, Libby Bance has joined Leicester City on a permanent deal from Brighton, Lotta Lindstrom has departed London City Lionesses for Bristol City and Hannah Silcock has signed for Everton in the WSL.

In terms of incomings, the club kicked off the window with a bang with a double signing from Manchester United. Millie Turner joins after eight years at the club, being a part of the squad since their formation in 2018, she leaves the club after inconsistent game time following injury last season. Turner has also been called up to the England senior team on various occasions so it’s likely this move is partly in hopes to put herself in the best possible position ahead of the Women’s World Cup next summer. The defender is a proven centre back and brings wealths of experience to the backline after playing in the Champions League and winning the FA Cup in 2024. Lisa Naalsund departed Manchester United after three and a half years at the club, and she too experienced inconsistent game time last season. The Norwegian international regularly features for her national team and can play in a variety of roles in the midfield. The Blues currently have a relatively small midfield, so this will prove crucial to the club, particularly in heavy scheduling with cup competitions too. 

It soon became clear that the clubs main focus point of the summer was to strengthen the defence after Jade Rastocle was announced from Montpellier. At just 22 she already has five years of experience in senior football, meaning the club will not have to spend time adjusting her to top flight football unlike most athletes her age. Rastocle started every game in the Premiere Ligue Feminine last season and is a proven centre back, even featuring in the France Under 23’s regularly.

Next came Katie Startup, a 23 year old goal keeper who was most recently signed to Manchester City. Interestingly, this signing is likely to be third choice move, with the shotstopper having not made a competitive footballing appearance since the 2023/24 season. Startup last received regular minutes in the 2019/20 season however is also well known for her work in mental health off of the pitch.

Sophie Baggaley is the clubs most recent addition and is also a goalkeeper, having most recently played for Brighton & Hove Albion. Returning to her childhood club after nine years, the keeper will provide good competition for Lucy Thomas who spent last year as first choice with Birmingham. Baggaley received limited minutes with Brighton last season, being pushed out of the starting spot by Nnadozie after two years, however she occasionally features in England squad’s and may be looking at this move to put her in a better suited position for a potential call up for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Birmingham Cities transfer window has been relatively quiet for a club entering a new league, however it shows the trust that Amy Merricks has in her team, and may work out in favour for the club as the vast majority of players are comfortable playing with each other, and won’t have the issue of compatibility that we often see.

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Natalie Arroyo and Aston Villa aim high after new signings join in Transfer Window

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photo taken from @astonvillawomen on instagram

The window as a whole has seen big names move across the league and from overseas with the season looking to be a special one. Ahead of the new season, the villains have had 15 movements as of 9/08 with five players leaving the club, a retirement and a loan spell away from the club for a young upcoming player. Jenna Nighswonger also returned to her parent club, Arsenal after her loan spell with the club during the season. They have signed seven players permanently with six coming from overseas showing a hunger for playing in the Women’s Super League and seeing the growth of the game over in England. 

The first player the side announced was Mia McAulay from Scottish side Rangers. The Scotland International brings experience on the international stage despite being young with the forward looking to settle down and score goals, helping the side get a high finish. Next in the office and signed her name on the contract was Kamilla Melgärd from Madrid CFF. She was with the side since 2024, with the midfielder currently a U23 Norwegian International also looking to bring international experience to the squad along with many other Scandinavian players. 

The next two Scandinavian players through the door were Amalie Vansgaard and Justine Kielland. Vansgaard comes from Juventus after being there for two years with the forward already having 46 caps for the Denmark National team. Kielland comes from VfL Wolfsburg after being with the side since 2024 and the defensive midfielder has experience in European, International and Domestic football bringing a different dynamic to the midlands. 

The side have also strengthened their goalkeeping ranks bringing in Emily Ramsey and Akane Okuma. Ramsey joined from Everton after being with the North West England side since 2022, and got her first senior international call up for England in 2023. She brings experience in the WSL meanwhile Akane Okuma has her first experience in the league. She joins from INAC Kobe Leonessa after being there for two years and has international experience for Japan alongside now club-teammate, Maya Hijikata. 

Finally, on a permanent signing, Centre-back Mathilde Harviken joins from Juventus after being with the side for 18 months. She made her senior debut for the Norway side in 2022 and has featured in the EURO 2025 championship as well as the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023. Lily Murphy was the most recent recruit after joining on loan from WSL side Manchester CIty. The forward has been with the side since 2022 and already brings European experience despite being so young. 

Aston Villa Team Celebration | photo taken from @astonvillawomen on instagram

Along with many incomings, there are always outgoings. Kirsty Hanson left the side after spending four seasons in the midlands and the forward joined Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the season. Young defender Lydia Sallaway joins Wrexham on loan for the season after spending last season on loan at Glasgow City. After a loan spell at Leicester City, Sarah Mayling joined the club permanently after starting in the academy and made over 100 appearances across two spells with the club. 

At the end of the season, Lucy Staniforth announced her retirement from professional football and therefore left the club with three more players leaving after their contract ended. Goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo went to Northern Super League club AFC Toronto and returned back to her home country, Canada. NWSL side Orlando Pride secured forward Gabi Nunes with Ebony Salmon joining WSL side West Ham United after their contracts ended. 

Overall, the club have had a successful window but will be impacted with the loss of their three forwards, Gabi Nunes, Ebony Salmon and Kirsty Hanson will all of them scoring in important games, especially during the previous season. Therefore, they might need more players with this calibre to fill in the void but the side hope to get a good start to the season to help with staying in the competitive league.