Women's Super League

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Liverpool have signed Germany goalkeeper Rafaela Borggrafe from SC Freiburg on a free contract.

Borggrafe, 25, has spent more than a decade at the German club, having joined aged 13.

She will compete with Rachael Laws and Faye Kirby for a starting spot at Liverpool.

"This means a lot," she told Liverpoolfc.com.

"This is a big club with a big history and I want to be part of that – we never walk alone. I want to have fun playing football and I am so happy to now be a part of the Liverpool family.

She started 19 of Freiburg's 22 league matches last season as they finished fifth and was on standby for Germany at Euro 2025.

Liverpool are currently without a manager after Matt Beard was sacked last season, with former Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor the leading contender to take over.

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Janice Cayman and Hannah Cain are among nine Leicester City players to be given new contracts before the Women's Super League season.

Club captain and two-time Champions League winner Cayman, 36, has renewed terms after appearing in all 22 league games last season as the Foxes finished 10 points above relegated Crystal Palace.

Forward Cain - who scored in Wales' 6-1 defeat to England at Euro 2025 last week - will look to improve on her four-goal return in all competitions last season after the departure of top-scorer Yuka Momiki to Everton.

Long-serving defender Sophie Howard, 31, departs alongside Momiki after making 122 appearances in five years.

Leicester say that negotiations are ongoing with other first-team players whose contracts have expired.

The 2025-26 WSL season will begin on 6-7 September.

Leicester have also confirmed the appointment of Lee Billiard as director of women's and girls' football following his departure from Aston Villa.

The players that have signed new contracts are: Janice Cayman, Janina Leitzig, Missy Goodwin, Julie Thibaud, Sam Tierney, Hannah Cain, Shannon O'Brien, Nelly Las, Simone Sherwood.

The players released are: CJ Bott, Courtney Nevin, Saori Takarada, Yuka Momiki, Deanne Rose, Lena Petermann, Karla Torres.

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German goalkeeper Anneke Borbe has joined Arsenal as a free agent following the expiry of her contract with Wolfsburg.

The 24-year-old made 15 appearances in all competitions for the German side, establishing herself as their first-choice goalkeeper in February this year.

She started all of the side's remaining 14 games as they reached the Women's Champions League quarter-finals and finished second in the league.

"It's amazing to have the opportunity to come and be a part of Arsenal at such an exciting time," said Borbe.

While she is yet to make her senior debut for Germany, Borbe has represented her country up to Under-19 level.

"We're delighted to bring Anneke to the club," added Gunners boss Renee Slegers.

"We've been impressed by her composure and aerial presence and we believe she has a high ceiling for development here."

Borbe's senior career began at Werder Bremen, where she made her debut aged 16 in February 2017 and went on to make 77 appearances.

Image source, West Ham United FC

West Ham have signed England Under-23 midfielder Sarah Brasero on a three-year deal.

The 20-year-old joins from Portuguese side Estoril, having played one season in Portugal after moving from Lewes in the summer of 2024.

Brasero said she is "ready to take the next step" and "play in the best league in the world" with the Women's Super League side.

Manager Rehanne Skinner said she will add "huge value" to her squad and that it is "clear that she has a lot of potential".

"It feels great to be joining such an ambitious club as West Ham," said Brasero.

"I've had some great conversations with Rehanne already. She's a manager that likes to develop young players, and as a young player with a lot of ambition, that's exactly what I'm looking for at this stage in my career."

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Liverpool have signed 20-year-old Scotland midfielder Kirsty Maclean from Rangers.

The Rangers academy product, who made over 100 appearances for the Glasgow club, said it was the "right time for a new challenge and to take the next step".

Liverpool's first signing of the summer was part of the Rangers side that won their first SWPL title in 2022, before winning the Sky Sports Cup for the first time later that year.

She said: "I think the club speaks for itself. It's obviously a massive club with a lot of history and to be able to represent the badge is a really proud moment for me.

"I'm a midfielder who likes to be on the ball and tries to make things happen so hopefully I can link up with the players in front of me and we can try to score lots of goals this season."

Maclean, who has 10 Scotland caps, also played a key role in the team that secured back-to-back domestic cup doubles across the past two seasons.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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WSL 2 side Newcastle United are set to sign Aoife Mannion and Jordan Nobbs on permanent deals this summer.

Republic of Ireland defender Mannion, 29, left Manchester United in June following the expiration of her contract and will bring a wealth of experience to Newcastle.

Midfielder Nobbs, 32, joined Villa in January 2023 after 13 years with Arsenal. She has 71 caps for England and will be a valuable player for the WSL 2 side.

Newcastle are showing ambition in the transfer window as they push to gain promotion to the Women's Super League.

They are also adding more staff members, including a new head of performance, with further investment in the women's side of the club.

They were also looking to bring in Wales international Ffion Morgan, 25, but a move broke down amid interest from elsewhere, with West Ham pushing to sign her.

Last season, Newcastle finished fifth in the WSL 2 following their promotion from the third tier.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

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Burnley are close to bringing in three Women’s Super League players as new manager Matt Beard prepares to take charge of his first season in the third tier.

It is understood the club have agreed terms to bring in versatile midfielder Jasmine Matthews and forward Yana Daniels, who recently left Liverpool at the expiry of their contracts.

They are set to join on two-year deals and will be reunited with Beard, who they worked with at Bristol City and Liverpool.

Burnley are also believed to be close to agreeing a season-long loan move for Everton winger Melissa Lawley.

The 31-year-old spent five years at Liverpool between 2019 and 2024 and was part of the squad that won the WSL 2 title under Beard.

Manager Beard, who led Liverpool to back-to-back WSL trophies in 2013 and 2014, was appointed Burnley head coach in June.

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Chelsea have signed goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer from Tottenham on a permanent basis after her loan spell with the Women's Super League champions last season.

Spencer will sign a one-year contract with Sonia Bompastor's side and there is an option to extend for a further year.

The Jamaica international spent the final three months of the 2024-25 campaign with the Blues to provide goalkeeping cover.

It is Spencer's second spell with Chelsea, having previously represented the club between 2016 and 2018.

"I'm over the moon to be given the opportunity to stay at this magical club, it's somewhere which has always felt like home for me," Spencer said.

"We have amazing fans, and I look forward to coming back into this environment on a permanent basis and working alongside the great goalkeeper's union we have."

The 34-year-old has plenty of WSL experience and spent a season at West Ham in between her time at Chelsea and Tottenham.