Kerolin Nicoli – Constancy Sport

Photo from @bethmead on Instagram

Manchester City have been flying under the radar with more players leaving than coming. Only two new signings will join the Sky Blues. Both being players who had large impacts against City while at their former clubs.

One retirement struck Man City, as Laura Coombs announced her retirement from football altogether. The 35-year-old has played for a wide range of clubs in England, having started her professional career in 2007 for Arsenal. Since then she has also played for Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Liverpool and finally Manchester City. A lasting impact was made throughout her career as a steady contributor in the midfield as she succeeded whenever she got called upon. Also playing for England, Coombs made appearances in two group stage matches during the 2023 World Cup, where England reaches the finals.

Four youngsters mark their exits from the club, each of which went on their own loans last season and look for more gametime and development as players. Codie Thomas departs from her childhood club after spending over ten years at the club. The move to Nottingham Forest will serve vital to her career, as the 19-year-old fullback struggled to compete against more experienced fullbacks such as Kerstin Casparij. Poppy Pritchard completed her move to Leicester City after a loans to Durham and Celtic last season. Pritchard has signed a three-year deal for the foxes.

Tara O’Hanlon also underwent two loans last season, spending the first half at Sunderland, and the latter half with teammate Pritchard at Celtic. O’Hanlon struggled to find her footing at Manchester City following a MCL tear, and a tear in her calf prior to the 2025/26 season. The young defender has joined Wolves having no senior appearances for Manchester City, hoping to have a more stable at Wolves. Lily Murphy has joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan after making 22 appearances for City since signing her professional contract in 2024.

Goalkeepers have made their exits from the club, with Eve Annets, Katie Startup and Khiara Keating leaving. Khiara Keating’s exit hits hard as she leaves with the expiration of her contract. Keating became City’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2023-24 as she won the WSL Golden Glove, but then struggled to fight for gametime against Ayaka Yamashita. The 22-year-old has also starred for her country, often being called up by Wiegman for England.

Katie Startup made her way into Man City’s squad as an emergency loan in the 2023/24 season coming from Everton, before joining on a permanent basis. This transfer means that Startup will hopefully increase her gametime as she joins Birmingham City. The final move from between the posts is Eve Annets’ loan to the Scottish WPL side Hibernian. Despite being signed with City for two seasons, Annets has yet to make an appearance for the club, having had gone on loan each season she’s spent at the club.

A centre back exit is from Naomi Layzell who has joined Everton on a season long loan, last season Layzell struggled to establish herself as a starting centre-back, having to face Knaack and Greenwood for the position. Consistent injury struggles also shortened her season with a hip surgery in December of 2025. Joining this exit is Spaniard Leila Ouahabi who has been a trusted player for Jergletz’ defence. With the conclusion of her contract, Ouahabi moves to the NWSL as she penned a three-year deal with Chicago Stars. The left-back spent four years at Manchester City and so, established herself as a regular starter for the club.

Undoubtably the name that has made the most headlines this transfer window is Kerolin Nicoli, who has left Manchester City for FC Barcelona with a record breaking fee of £1.28m, removing Arsenal’s fee for Olivia Smith from the top spot. Kerolin signed for City in January 2025 from the NWSL. Scoring 9 goals in 15 matches, Kerolin’s transfer will be noticed.

Two new signings both hail from London, with Beth Mead from Arsenal joining the frontline, and Chelsea’s Niamh Charles reinforcing the backline. Widely regarded as one of England’s best forwards, Mead pens a three-year deal, inevitably planning to make her mark on her new club. Mead’s perseverance and consistency has made her a country favourite, making her mark in Sarina Wiegman’s starting line-ups helping the Lionesses to European Championship triumph in 2022 and 2025.

Chelsea’s Niamh Charles has also has high levels of success with England internationally. Having won the WSL with Chelsea 5 times, Charles’ experience and versatility will come strongly into play. Held back by ankle issues, Charles struggled with game time last season, however her abilities do not only rely on defending as she scored a vital penalty in the 2025 Euros final, bringing the victory to England.

Overall, Manchester City are expected to make remaining signings, to cover for losses between the posts, as they currently have Cummings and Yamashita in the position.

Image Credit: Mancity.com

Kerolin lit up her name in headlights on matchday fourteen of the Barclays Women’s Super League by slotting not one but three goals past reigning champions Chelsea.

However, it wasn’t just this game week that has shown just how good she can be; going quietly under the radar this season, she’s been one of the Citizens’ most influential players.

Her first appearance this season came as a substitute against Brighton and Hove Albion in a 2-0 win, playing twenty-seven minutes. Her next appearance would again come off the bench, this time against Tottenham Hotspur. Replacing an injured Lauren Hemp, she came on with a point to prove; playing just sixty-eight minutes, she managed to register an assist, and in an impressive performance, she collected her first of many player of the match awards.

Unfortunately, after the Spurs game, she suffered an injury that would keep her out until early December. Her long-awaited return was made in the game against Leicester City and she made an instant impact, first assisting Bunny Shaw for the opening goal before getting herself on the scoresheet, grabbing the third goal; this was arguably the turning point in her season.

She has kicked on massively since then, grabbing an assist against West Ham United in the Subway Women’s League Cup quarter-finals before then going on to score against Everton in a two-nil win at the Joie Stadium before picking up her second player of the match award of the season.

Against London City, Kerolin slotted the ball home to give City the lead in a tense affair in Bromley, and her impressive performance she earned her a second consecutive player of the match award.

Ultimately it was the top-of-the-table clash that really showed the best side of her, as she became the first ever player to score a hat-trick past the reigning league champions. The first goal came after Hannah Hampton parried a shot right into the path of Nicoli, who struck home into the bottom left corner.

The second goal was even more impressive; latching onto a long ball and beating Keira Walsh to it, she chipped Hannah Hampton expertly to get her second of the game. Finally, the perfect day and hattrick was rounded off with her third goal, getting onto the end of a cross from Lauren Hemp and slotting it into the back of the net, making history in a perfect individual performance. This incredible individual performance earned her a third consecutive player of the match award, a credit to all the hard work she’s put in over the past season so far.