The 2026-27 Women's Super League season is less than a month away, and teams have been busy readying their squads to battle for the title.
So, as the clock ticks towards the Sept. 4 opener when London City Lionesses take on Manchester United, our writers Emily Keogh and Yash Thakur take a look at the big teams' transfer business and propose a big question they should be asking themselves.
Arsenal
One word to describe their transfer window: Economical
Arsenal have added some vital depth to the squad and have made perfect use of the free-agent market this summer, bringing in goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez, defender Ona Batlle and midfielders Georgia Stanway and Géraldine Reuteler, without spending a penny in transfer fees. Those freed-up funds were used to bring in Lisa Baum to add depth to the wing, but Arsenal still feel light in some areas.
On the wing and in central defense particularly, the team look thinner than desired, and sources have told ESPN the club are still active in the window despite doing their core business early. The hope is their depth will have added enough rotation to allow the team to remain competitive in both the WSL and Champions League simultaneously, but glaring depth fragilities, while also having three No.1 goalkeepers, have many fans questioning how effective their transformative window will really be.
Big question: Can Arsenal avoid their typically slow start?
It has been seven years since Arsenal won the league title, and even with Chelsea falling behind last season, they were unable to end that run, allowing City to reap the rewards. It has been a long time since Arsenal felt like title contenders; they have typically been slow starters and have struggled to make up the gap at the back end of the season.
They have had to learn to balance Champions League football with being competitive domestically, but with their wealth of experience, Arsenal should be battling until the final game year after year.
Much like Chelsea, the side were overdue a revamp. Then again, the same was said last season after the Gunners won the Champions League and then failed to meet expectations. Seven years is a long time to go without domestic glory for a team that have found success on the continent. -- Emily Keogh
Chelsea
One word to describe their transfer window: Quiet
It is not necessarily a bad thing to have a quiet window. After all, Chelsea did plenty of business in Sonia Bompastor's first two windows in charge. This summer, they signed defender Katie McCabe from rivals Arsenal, forwards Melvine Malard from Manchester United, Manaka Matsukubo from NC Courage and versatile youngster Giulia Dragoni from Barcelona, as well as England youth defender Nelly Las.
Chelsea's main focus was to realign the squad to the French coach's style -- she had inherited Emma Hayes' side and desired to make it her own -- and in retaining the core of the team, adding some extra depth and moving on the old guard, the team look far more cohesive and aligned. There were bound to be teething issues as Bompastor reformed the team, but now there are few excuses not to succeed.
Big question: Can Chelsea reclaim their throne?
When Chelsea were de-throned in the WSL last season -- they finished third -- the club found themselves at their lowest ebb since 2019. It also meant they are not confirmed for the UWCL league phase and must go through the last round of qualifiers on Aug. 26 and Sept. 2.
It was a turbulent campaign and far from Chelsea's best, which has begged the question if the Blues are still the dominant force they once were or was last season a dip following Bompastor's arrival and Paul Green's exit as head of women's football.
The league has caught up to Chelsea over the past five years; if they are to reclaim their silverware then Bompastor and her team will need to have an almost perfect season. -- Keogh
London City Lionesses
One word to describe their transfer window: Blockbuster
In just one window, London City managed to add a two-time Ballon d'Or winner (Alexia Putellas), the top assister from the 2023 Women's World Cup (Kadidiatou Diani), a two-time FIFA the Best goalkeeper of the year (Mary Earps) and a defender with 18 major trophies at Barcelona under her belt (Mapi León).
It has been a dream window for London City, who now have the firepower to take their ambitious project even further -- remember, they are the only fully-independent women's club in the WSL.
That added experience and quality should help them bridge the gap with the WSL's top teams. The addition of 20-year-old midfielder Daniela Arques will also bolster a young core that includes winger Lucía Corrales and forward Freya Godfrey.
Big question: Can London City afford gel time?
After a midtable finish in their debut WSL campaign, London City owner Michele Kang led a huge turnover at the club this summer in a bid to challenge with the league's best. Seven players have arrived and six left, but this is not quantity over quality, they have made some massive moves.
Still, such turnover will surely mean London City take time to gel properly. But can they afford that?
Manager Eder Maestre must find a balanced lineup and system that maximizes the qualities of his players. Putellas and León will allow London City to dictate games in a way they couldn't do last season, and the squad now boasts at least one star player in every department. -- Yash Thakur
Manchester City
One word to describe their transfer window: Underwhelming
England internationals Beth Mead and Niamh Charles are City's only signings so far this summer. Mead, who joined on a free after nine years at Arsenal, is the only offensive addition and adds a different quality to what they already have on the wing. However, Barcelona signed City winger Kerolin in a deal worth up to £1.25 million, so Mead's addition looks to be more as a replacement rather than an injection of new blood.
Big question: Will Man City regret not adding to their squad?
City ended their decade-long wait for another WSL title last season, and their summer strategy seems to follow the mantra: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
City were reliant on a few key players last season and had an almost clean injury bill: Manager Andree Jeglertz made the fewest starting XI changes (28) and used the second fewest number of substitutions (71) in the competition last season. City will have been delighted to retain the spine of their squad -- most notably forward Khadija "Bunny" Shaw, who was the club's top scorer (21 goals) by some margin last season -- but, with a lack of depth and only two signings, they could struggle to deal with the added workload of the UWCL.
The odds of this repeating aren't in City's favor. They took advantage of slow starts from Arsenal and Chelsea last season before suffering a slight drop in form towards the end of the campaign. They may need a similar opportunity to arise if they are to defend their crown.
Their season hinges on whether Shaw and star defensive midfielder Yui Hasegawa can pick up where they left off. -- Thakur
Manchester United
One word to describe their transfer window: Disappointing
Manchester United have watched Millie Turner, Leah Galton and Malard exit the club among others this summer, replacing them with left-back Andrea Medina and back-up goalkeeper Janina Leitzig.
United should be solid enough in defense, but that's where the plaudits end. They have not addressed their over-reliance on midfielder Hinata Miyazawa, who played all but two games in the WSL last season.
But perhaps the biggest mistake is allowing last season's top scorer, Malard, to join direct rivals Chelsea in an £850,000 move without any replacement lined up.
Big question: With Skinner gone, where do Man United go from here?
United have been on the periphery of the big three in the WSL for a few seasons, although they've supplanted that with three Women's FA Cup final berths (they won it in 2023-24) as well as a surprise debut run to the UWCL quarterfinals last season.
That could all change this season, though, and not for the better. United parted ways with long-time manager Marc Skinner on Monday amid a disagreement over the direction of the club. That means, with just a month to go until the 2026-27 WSL season kicks off, United are looking for a new manager (with Hearts' Eva Olid strongly linked) and, rather than rely on the transfer market to replace their star talents, the club are keen to use their youth system instead.
United's squad composition feels imbalanced. They have three strikers -- Elisabeth Terland, Lea Schüller and Ellen Wangerheim -- who like to operate in the same areas and 32-year-old Fridolina Rolfö is their only true winger.
It is hard to imagine that they will push for a top-three spot next season. -- Thakur
Tottenham Hotspur
One word to describe their transfer window: Perfect
It is uncommon that a club hit their main targets early and have their squad looking in top shape a month out from the season starting, but Spurs pulled it off. The club moved swiftly, with manager Martin Ho identifying the areas that needed to be tightened in the early months of his first season in charge and he stopped at nothing to secure the signatures he most desired.
The squad now boasts Champions League winners and senior international players on top of a budding academy with young players itching to break through, such as Ella Morris and Jess Naz.
The squad looks to have a perfect blend of age and experience. If all goes to plan, Spurs' impressive window has them gearing up to leapfrog teams in the top half of the table and make a serious charge for Europe.
Big question: Can Spurs perform against the WSL's top sides?
There is no denying that Spurs have had the best transfer window on paper. It is hard to imagine that a team who were almost relegated in 2024-25 are now attracting former Champions League winners.
It is clear to see how Ho wants his team to play and has crafted a side to help achieve his goals, like adding Alice Sombath in defense to partner Togo Koga which will allow the squad to build better from the back.
With London City investing heavily too, there is a battle among the middle of the WSL to break into the Champions League spots. Ho admitted the club overachieved last season and has areas that need development. One key to breaking the top of the WSL is to beat the teams around them -- Spurs' record in the WSL era against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United is woeful (two wins, four draws and 45 defeats).
The foundations are solid for them to have a good season, but it is the head-to-heads against the top teams where it could count the most. -- Keogh