Women's Super League

Ellie Thomason
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool boss Matt Beard is feeling optimistic about a positive second half to the season after a disappointing opening run.

The Reds have struggled with a number of injuries to key players and sit eighth in the Women's Super League with nine points from their opening 10 games.

"We reviewed the first half of the season and we know it's not been to the standards we set ourselves," Beard said.

"We have set ourselves some lofty targets collectively and whenever we have done that the players have delivered. The break came at the right time and we are looking positive and looking forward to the second part of the season."

Liverpool have signed Bayern Munich's Sam Kerr and Chelsea's Julia Bartel on loan and Beard is looking forward to having midfield options and competition within the squad.

"At times we have only had two fit midfield players," he said. "It was an area we needed to address because it creates competition. You want that competition for places because complacency can't set in. If you don't perform then someone else will and they will take your shirt.

"This is the first time this season that I have had 20 outfield players training. It has been great, it has been refreshing."

Ellie Thomason
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Everton boss Brian Sorensen said his first impressions of the Friedkin Group have been "extremely happy and positive" since their takeover of the club.

Sorensen met with executive chairman Marc Watts before Christmas and is due to speak with the new owners again next week.

The Toffees have had a busy start to the transfer window, signing France forward Kelly Gago from Nantes and Wales international Hayley Ladd from Manchester United on permanent deals.

The club have also brought in Barcelona defender Martina Fernandez and Manchester United midfielder Emma Watson on loan until the end of the season.

"I had a good meeting with them," Sorensen said. "They were very supportive in terms of the women's side and you can see that with the signings we already made.

"Doing a loan from Barcelona is not something you do over a couple of days. It takes a bit of time to convince the player and agent that this is a good place to come.

"Kelly we wanted for a while now. We could see that Hayley was lacking minutes at United and that is a conversation we had for a while, same with Emma.

"Those targets were identified and it just needed the ownership to come through so we could push the button and they signed the plan off.

"I am looking forward to meeting them again to understand more in depth what the strategy looks like and where we are going but what I can say is the first meeting was extremely happy and positive."

Ellie Thomason
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner said the club should build their future team around Grace Clinton after the midfielder signed a one-year contract extension.

The England international joined United from Everton in 2022, but did not make her competitive debut until this season.

She is United's joint-top goalscorer in the Women's Super League this season with four goals, alongside Elisabeth Terland.

"Grace has been fantastic this year," Skinner said. "She is a fantastic product of the loan system. It was Bristol [City] for six months and then she went away to Tottenham and has come back in fantastic form.

"The way we have gone around the transfer market is to go into a younger model with talented players that we can grow. Grace fits that fantastically. Grace is a player that we should be building this future team around."

Clinton's contract was due to run out at the end of this season and Skinner said he hopes the club eventually tie her down on a longer contract.

"I know the club will be meeting grace and her representatives to discuss that and what terms look like.

"I don't have any say in that, but of course that is something I'd love us to push and I'd love Grace to stay here for a long time. I am absolutely certain those conversations will be taking place."

Image source, West Ham United

West Ham defender Amber Tysiak has signed a new contract with the club which runs until the summer of 2028.

The 24-year-old Belgium international has made 33 appearances for the Hammers since joining from Oud-Heverlee Leuven in January 2023.

"I'm very excited to sign a new contract here," Tysiak said.

"I've grown a lot as a player and as a person since joining West Ham. I want to keep progressing both on and off the pitch, and to challenge myself in the best league in the world.

"West Ham feels like a home away from home for me, and I'm already looking forward to continuing my chapter with this special club."

Image source, West Ham United

West Ham defender Anouk Denton has signed a new contract with the club, running until the summer of 2028.

The 21-year-old full-back has made 40 appearances for the Hammers since signing permanently from Arsenal in 2023.

"It feels amazing to have signed a new contract at West Ham," Denton said.

"I have loved my time at the club so far. I feel like I have matured and developed over the last couple of years and feel really settled here.

"I'm grateful to the club for the belief and support they have shown me. I'm loving my football and playing alongside this group of girls, and I'm excited for what's to come moving forwards."

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Arsenal's Women's Super League game against north London rivals Tottenham will be broadcast live on the BBC.

The match at Emirates Stadium takes place on Sunday 16 Febrary, with kick-off at 12:30 GMT.

The Gunners won the reverse fixture 3-0 in November.

Image source, WPPL

Arsenal have won all three of the Women's Super League's awards for December.

Alessia Russo was voted player of the month, while interim boss Renee Slegers won the manager of the month award.

The Gunners won both of their games in December, beating Aston Villa 4-0 and Liverpool 1-0.

Russo scored three goals across the two games, with her second strike against Villa also winning the goal of the month vote.

Image source, Liverpool FC

Liverpool have signed midfielder Julia Bartel on loan from fellow Women's Super League side Chelsea until the end of the season.

The Spanish Under-23 international joined the Blues on a three-year deal from Barcelona last summer.

She played every game as Spain won the Under-20 World Cup in 2022.

Bartel said: "I'm very happy to be here in Liverpool in a big club and I'm looking forward to starting.

"I think Liverpool is one of the big teams in this league and I think the style of play of this club can be great for me and I'm so excited to start the season here.

"It's been a change in my career in a new country but I'm happy here, it's a new league, a different league from Spain and I think I'm adapting here."

On what Liverpool fans can expect from her, she added: "I'm a player who wants to have the ball, an assertive player and I want to give these things to a team.

"I want to enjoy the training and matches with the team, to help and to win as many matches as possible with this team."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United pair Emma Watson and Jess Simpson have gone out on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Scotland midfielder Watson has joined fellow Women's Super League side Everton.

Watson made her return from an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury against Everton in October's League Cup clash.

"I'm absolutely buzzing to be here," Watson told evertontv. "I've really enjoyed my first day here, getting to meet everyone, getting to know the girls and having a look around the facility. I'm really excited."

Defender Simpson has joined Championship side Bristol City on loan and returns to the Robins after a previous loan spell was cut short by injury.

Simpson recovered from injury at her parent club and made her senior United debut in November's League Cup win over Everton.

She joins Steve Kirby's Bristol City side who currently sit second in the Championship behind Birmingham City on goal difference.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea have recalled forward Louna Ribadeira from her loan spell at Paris FC.

The 20-year-old signed a joined the Blues from the French club on a four-year contract in the summer, before returning there on loan.

Ribadeira scored one goal in two league appearances in her native country.

Image source, Chelsea FC

Chelsea defender Aniek Nouwen has signed a extension which will keep her at the club until the summer of 2026.

The 25-year-old Dutch international joined Chelsea from PSV in 2021 and spent the second half of the 2022-23 campaign on loan with AC Milan.

In December 2023 she suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury while on international duty with the Netherlands Under-23 team.

After putting pen to paper, Nouwen said: "I am very grateful for this extension and the trust. I am looking forward to returning to action and continuing my journey."

Head of women's football Paul Green added: "Aniek continues to make good progress with her rehabilitation and we are happy to extend her contract. We will monitor her fitness over the course of this month with a view to a possible loan move this window."

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Liverpool boss Matt Beard has provided some positive injury news on Marie Hobinger and Sophie Roman Haug.

Midfielder Hobinger has overcome a groin injury and returned to training this week before Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round match against West Ham.

"Herby should be back in training this week and might be available for the bench against West Ham," Beard said.

Roman Haug has been out since October with a foot and ankle injury and while Sunday's game comes too soon, the forward could return for the Reds' first Women's Super League game of 2025 against Brighton on 17 January.

"Sophie will be back in training the week after and hopefully should be back for Brighton," Beard added.

Tottenham have appointed Bri Campos as first team coach, joining manager Robert Vilahamn’s staff.

She worked with Vilahamn at former club BK Hacken in Sweden and will join for the second half of the Women’s Super League season.

The former Mexico international's arrival comes as first team transitional coach Anton Blackwood leaves his role to pursue another opportunity.

Vilahamn has a strong coaching staff with former Liverpool manager Vicky Jepson as senior assistant coach, as well as Chris Williams in charge of goalkeeping.

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Chelsea duo Brooke Aspin and Jorja Fox have returned to the club following their loan spells at Crystal Palace.

The youngsters joined Palace at the start of the season but both picked up anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

Fox, 21, suffered the knee injury during pre-season, while 19-year-old Aspin was injured on England under-23s duty in November.

Aspin made six appearances across all competitions for Palace, including four in the Women's Super League.

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Arsenal academy graduate Laila Harbert has signed her first professional contract with the club.

The 18-year-old defensive midfielder and England under-17s captain joined Arsenal's academy at the age of nine.

She was part of Arsenal's pre-season tour in Washington D.C this summer after a dual-registration agreement saw her make 14 appearances for Women's Championship club Watford during the 2023-24 season.

"It's such a proud moment for me and my family to be able to put pen to paper on a professional contract at a club that feels like home," said Harbert.

"I joined Arsenal's academy at such a young age so to be able to invest my future in a place that I've grown up in, is a special feeling."

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West Ham striker Shekiera Martinez has returned to the club following a loan spell with SC Freiburg in Germany.

The 23-year-old scored five goals and registered two assists in 12 league matches in her home country.

It means she has accumulated enough points to meet the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria and is now eligible to play for West Ham.

GBE is a points-based system introduced in 2020. It is based on a player's match experience and the level they have played at internationally. All players must meet the WSL's criteria in order to play in England.

Martinez joined West Ham on a three-year deal last summer from Eintracht Frankfurt.