With the WSL January transfer window already open, some clubs already made big moves before the window officially opened. This is the time when clubs fill in their gaps or areas of weakness across the board in reflection of the first half of the season.
Arsenal have some big decisions to make. Including whether they extend manager Renee Slegers’ contract, which expires this summer. They have also expressed their need for a goalkeeper this transfer window.
The manager said at the beginning of December: “We're definitely looking at that position because we think we need a powerful goalkeeper union with three goalkeepers available, and we're not in that situation at the moment, so we'll have to solve that for the second half of the season.”
As their first choice, Daphne Van Domselaar has suffered multiple injury setbacks before the winter break. While their second-choice, Manuela Zinsberger, is out for the season with a ruptured ACL, her contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
A prominent location would be the NWSL, whose season concluded in November and whose players are therefore available. An area they need to address is the defensive midfield after the summer departure of Lia Walti.
This hole has forced players like Mariona Caldentey to play deeper and out of position. Aston Villa are reportedly going to be quiet over this window, having done more business in the summer, but are hoping to bring a Japanese international.
For Villa, the main issue has been around player injury. With many returning who have experience and a strong midfield, they are set. They need to get their big-money forward Gabi Nunez fit and firing.
This would save them from scrambling around the market for a striker, which is notoriously tricky. They also need to decide on. Rachel Daly's future is in question, as she is out of contract in June and has scored only two goals all season.
On the other hand, Brighton are hoping to be active as they hunt for a replacement for long-term injured England forward Michelle Agyemang and also more options in central midfield. After high player turnover over the last couple of years, the club needs stability.
They are comfortably one of the best outside the top four, but to break into those top places, they need to form a core group that stays together. Their results have not always matched performance levels over the first half of the season. They will have the money available for long-term targets.
Finding a capable striker without breaking budget constraints during an inflated winter window is one of the trickier tasks of the recruitment game. It might require a return to the loan market.
Chelsea loves to break transfer records in January, from Naomi Girma to Mayra Ramirez. They love to ss with the NWSL, and if she decides to leave, it would not be a surprise if the highest spender in each of the last few winter windows tabled a league-leading offer she decides to leave, it would not be a surprise if the highest spender in each of the last few winter windows tabled a league-leading offer.
They eye an attacking option and could add depth in defence too. But their window could be more likely to retain their current players, with many out of contract in the summer.
The Blues are one of the only WSL clubs that always have the budget and backing in transfer windows. This January window could define their direction for the next few years.
Sonia Bompastor has made no secret of her frustration over specific results so far, trailing Man City by six points at the halfway point - this is their lowest points tally at this stage of a campaign since 2018-19, incidentally the last time they failed to land the title.
While this might seem ironic given they recently beat Liverpool 9-1, their attack has felt lacklustre, with other clubs outscoring the defending champions.
Even though Everton were busy in the summer, the fruits of their spending have been few and far between.
Their most significant moment came in their second WSL win against Chelsea, which ended their winning streak. But given the summer shopping spread, it shows the owners are happy to spend if they want to add to the squad. Patience is required with Everton.
They spent big in the summer when Ruby Mace became the club's record signing for a fee significantly over £100,000. They would have hoped that level of investment would have put them in a better position than they are currently in, 10th place. Brian Sorensen's Scandinavian connections could prove helpful if needing to dip into that market, along with what the USA might have to offer, given that those divisions have moved into the off-season.
For Leicester City, their minds have been made up. Manager Rick Passmoor wants to bring in experienced WSL players, and centre-back is a priority position, as they also look at full-backs. Ending 2025 with their first WSL win in three months, Leicester go into the window in ninth but with only two wins in 11 overall.
The manager has stressed that his priority is to ensure the Foxes remain a "regular and competent side in this division". For them, on-field success would entice the more experienced talent they need, but without the depth of squad to deliver those consistent results, it won't happen.
They are in need, like many clubs, of a reliable goalscorer, while Shannon O'Brien has scored three in her last four. And Noemi’s Mouchon returning to the pitch to show potential is not enough.
The manager has also spoken publicly about the importance of a vibrant youth system to support and sustain the club's future. Ultimately, investment is needed at every level, but given Leicester's well-documented financial difficulties, questions remain about what support can realistically be offered.
Liverpool, on the other hand, is desperate for a new start in 2026 after an abysmal start to the season to move off the bottom of the table. Technically, they have a million pounds from the sale of Olivia Smith in the summer, but given their men’s side's poor performance, funding for this transfer window could be concentrated by their owners.
Gareth Taylor, however, will be looking to bring in a list of players to bulk out a thin squad. Reinforcements are desperately needed in a variety of positions.
Liverpool's openness to spending big - and spending wisely - will define whether they can get out of the mess they find themselves in as they search for goals, as they remain among the lowest scorers, as illustrated by forward Mia Enderby, who scored her first and only WSL goal in the last game before the break.
The only player to show glimpses of quality in front of goal is Beata Olsson with five goals in seven starts. After sacking their manager last month, London City Lionesses are not afraid to make significant and bold moves. With the wealthy backing of Michele Kang, they will be on the hunt.
There will be links with Rodman, should she leave Kang-owned Washington Spirit, but it feels too soon in the club's evolution to sign a world superstar on that level, especially if Chelsea is also in the mix. Defensive reinforcements should be a priority, but so should getting more from the big-name players brought into the fold during the summer. For some clubs, their biggest deal is renewing current players' contracts, as Chelsea and Manchester City need to do.
Bunny Shaw's contract expires this summer, and she is their most prolific goalscorer, and could be leaving if they can secure a new long-term deal with her, which would be considered a successful window.
They might need some added support to get themselves over the line in their title challenge. Unlike many, they are flush in forward areas with Mary Fowler set to return, Kerolin back, and Iman Beney growing into the league.
The question is whether they might lean on their attractive league position to further future-proof squad depth. A position that requires attention is left-back, given Leila Ouahabi is out of contract this summer. Greenwood and Casparij are solid backup options, but it makes sense to consider a more stable, long-term solution.
Local rivals Manchester United have already been busy, with two signings confirmed, and they are in the process of triggering contract extensions for current players. A central midfielder has been a target for a while.
This comes after their manager, Marc Skinner, told the media in December, "I think we need to add to the front line.” "I think, honestly, in almost all the units in terms of defence, midfield and attack, I'd like to add some depth where we can have a little bit of adaptation, if that makes sense. "So we don't become the same team."The club cares about the women's team, I'll be clear on that," he added. "Us identifying the right talent and bringing them in at the right moment is key. We're working hard behind the scenes to make it happen. I have no doubt the club cares. What we need to do is bring the right people in.”
Spurs have already made three signings, all before the window officially opened, after a great start to the WSL, sitting fifth in the table under their new manager, Martin Ho, who has injected intensity and discipline into the squad, and they are coping with the physical demands of a different brand of football well.
Finishing 11th last season was a clear sign that changes were needed, and now the Spurs sit two points shy of the top three. They have already equalled their points tally from the entirety of last season (20).
They are linked with a loan of Chelsea Maika Hamano, which looks even more plausible given she hasn't gone away with the Blues on their summer training camp. The improvement is that they have conceded as many as they have scored this season.
Rita Guarino, who has only recently taken on the role of manager at West Ham, is likely to bring in some new signings and may look to Italy, where she has experience in the market and vast contacts to bring to the WSL.
She must build a squad around the stars she already has, like Shekiera Martinez. They have a core group of WSL-level players there, but no team has conceded more in the league, so defensive reinforcements are a must. West Ham possesses a -15 goal difference, the worst ratio of any side.
West Ham have previously signed talent from all over the world and made them WSL standouts. The same is needed this winter to avoid danger, while ensuring Guarino stays busy extracting the best from the ones they have.
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