WSL 2026/27 transfer window winners and losers: Ecstatic Arsenal, but have Man City and Chelsea done enough? | Football News
Arsenal are looking to win their first Women’s Super League title since 2019 after signing eight new players, while can London City Lionesses’ big-spending summer – including the purchase of Alexia Putellas, “the biggest signing the league has seen” – lead them to an unlikely title challenge?
Manchester City managed to keep hold of FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year Bunny Shaw, but have the champions done enough business to retain their title?
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Manchester United head into the new campaign with questions over whether they have strengthened enough to be challenging for the title, in contrast to West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, who have both enjoyed eye-catching summers.
Keeping hold of Bunny Shaw makes Man City title favourites
So, as the WSL transfer window finally slams shut for business, we look at the winners and losers from the summer with the new season set to get under way on Friday Night when London City host Man Utd live on Sky Sports.
Friday 4th September 6:00pm
Kick off 7:00pm
Arsenal & London City winners of the window
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
If the answer to the question ‘Who has improved most this window?’ isn’t Arsenal or London City, then they need to have a word with their recruitment teams.
Elisa De Almeida is Arsenal’s eighth new signing and most of the players brought in are at a point in their career they’re supposed to be at their peak.
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Anton Toloui is joined by Charlotte Marsh and Rachel Corsie to discuss what is in store for London City Lionesses in the 26/27 season.
Big things are expected of Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Geraldine Reuteler and others as the club looks to win their first WSL title since 2019.
As for London City – another sixth-placed finish after their star-studded signing drive won’t be tolerated.
Arsenal can take on any one
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
Arsenal are ecstatic with their window, they feel as though they have a squad ready to take on all comers.
Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Misa Rodriguez, Selina Cerci and Elisa De Almeida are expected to raise standards and help Arsenal get over the hump, and Renee Slegers is already chuffed with the impact they’re making at London Colney.
The club’s really high on Lisa Baum’s potential, she’s been turning heads in training.
They also have Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang to come back before the end of the year, which means the future’s bright.
Summer signings have quality to make London City contenders
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
It should pay off [London City’s summer spending]. They’ve signed the favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or (Alexia Putellas), a Champions League-winning centre-back (Mapi Leon) and a goalkeeper once named the best in the world (Mary Earps).
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Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas explains why she has decided to join London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona.
Regardless of age, these players have the quality and character to make London City contenders.
You can argue it’s an old squad, you can argue there’s a lot of pressure to click quickly and you can argue whether the coach has the big-game and big-name experience, but talent-wise, it’s one heck of a squad.
Some pundits have them as title challengers, some as top-three entrants and some as major disappointments.
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Alexia Putellas sits down with Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui for an exclusive interview alongside London City Lionesses owner Michele Kang, discussing why she chose to join the WSL club and outlining her ambitions for the future.
The fun is in seeing how this plays out.
Former England international Jill Scott:
Whenever we speak about the big teams, we always say how important it is to have a good goalkeeper.
And having Mary Earps back in the WSL, she’s going to be great for them.
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London City Lionesses’ Freya Godfrey speaks about playing alongside Alexia Putellas and Mary Earps, revealing what she has learned from the experienced duo and the lessons she is hoping to take into her own game.
There’s a lot of experience in that team and you speak about Alexia Putellas in that team – they’ll definitely be up there.
Questions being asked about whether Man City have done enough business
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
Manchester City are not starting the season how they want to.
They’re dealing with some injuries to some key players, including Vivianne Miedema, Jade Rose, Grace Clinton and Sydney Lohmann.
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Speaking on Essential Football, Sky Sports’ Anton Touloui, Laura Hunter and Charlotte Marsh dissect the WSL’s top three, looking at how they’ve strengthened this transfer window and who would come out on top.
It’s why they made a move for Joe Echegini and signed Carlotta Wamser late in the window.
Signing two players in Beth Mead and Niamh Charles adds to their pool of experience, but with the return of Champions League football, questions are being asked about whether enough has been done this summer.
Former England international Jill Scott:
For me, Man City are still title favourites and a big reason for that is by keeping hold of Bunny Shaw.
Her goal record speaks for itself and having Beth Mead in the squad now supplying her with more goals, I’d still go for City.
United fans must brace themselves for a new reality
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
Manchester United fans need to brace themselves for a new reality.
The club has changed its ethos, as well as its head coach. Eva Olid has been brought in to usher a new generation of players at United, which means they may have different short-term aims compared to previous seasons.
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Eva Olid says big things are going to happen at Manchester United after being announced as the new head coach! Credit: Manchester United.
Saying that, they did shell out around £700k at the end of the window to sign Sweden winger Monica Jusu Bah and Rebecca Bernal, with the former bringing pace and excitement and the latter experience and grit.
It’s what happens next that’s the big test of their ambitions. Ella Toone is in the last year of her contract.
Chelsea were expected to go bigger this summer after looking flat last season
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
We all expected Chelsea to go bigger this summer and it’s not as though they didn’t try.
A league-leading contract was offered to Bunny Shaw, who opted to stay at Manchester City at the last moment.
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Pitch to Pod’s Nikita Parris and Jordan Nobbs give their predictions for the WSL 2026/27 season!
A potential world-record fee was offered for Sweden striker Felicity Schroder, but she decided to move to Real Madrid.
Bringing Katie McCabe and Melvine Malard’s experience and dynamism is a positive to a side that looked flat last season.
The club’s really high on the signings of youngsters Giulia Dragoni and Manaka Matsukubo, who could have a bigger impact than expected.
Spurs and West Ham’s eye-catching off-season?
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
How can you not be impressed with Spurs? Caitlin Dijkstra brings UWCL experience, Kirsty Hanson had a brilliant season at Aston Villa, Shekiera Martinez should add more goals and Alice Sombath won Europe’s biggest competition at Lyon.
They’ll be eyeing up at least fourth place this season.
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Senior Football Journalist Charlotte Marsh talks through the five things you need to know ahead of the new WSL season.
West Ham are another club that’s really happy with their off-season. Kelly Gago never got going at Everton, but she’s an exciting striker that could light up East London.
Ebony Salmon’s looking to live up to her early promise at a new club and Laia Codina brings a World Cup-winners’ medal to the changing room.
Can they make the leap? A good test is Spurs away in Week One.
Putellas is the biggest signing the league has seen
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui:
Alexia Putellas is the biggest signing the league has seen and the results will be felt in many ways.
London City have sold out their home stadium in Bromley for the first time as people are desperate to see her debut.
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Charlotte Marsh and Rachel Corsie join Anton Toloui to discuss the pressures that Alexia Putellas will face at the London City Lionesses.
Major brands are more likely to see LCL and the WSL as an attractive prospect as Putellas is one of the few global faces of women’s football.
Putellas’ experience as a four-time UWCL winner and World Cup winner, as well as her veracious attitude for success, has already had an impact at London City training. But on the pitch is where it matters.
Putellas is confident she can bring her world-class talent to the WSL week after week, which is an exciting prospect.
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Speaking on Pitch to Pod, Nikita Parris and Jordan Nobbs discuss Alexia Putellas joining London City Lionesses and how long it’ll take for the new signings to gel into the squad.
No WSL player has ever won the Ballon d’Or – Putellas hopes her start of season form with her new club will cement her case to end that drought.
Watch London City vs Man Utd live on Sky Sports Football from 6pm on Friday, kick-off 8pm. Follow across Sky Sports digital platforms and watch in-game clips and free match highlights shortly after full time.
