The wait is finally over and the 2024/25 Women’s Super League campaign is underway.
It was a packed weekend of action, as Chelsea kicked off their new era under Sonia Bompastor with a win at home to Aston Villa. Arsenal and Manchester City played out a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, while the points were also shared between Liverpool and Leicester City.
Crystal Palace’s first test in the top flight ended in a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United kicked off the season with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to West Ham. Brighton, on the other hand, brushed Everton aside with a 4-0 triumph.
Now the season is up and running, 90min has ranked the potential breakout stars of this term.
20-year-old Olivia Smith became Liverpool’s record signing this summer when she signed from Portuguese side Sporting CP. The Canada international is highly regarded as a prospect, and she became the youngest player to ever feature for her country’s senior team when she was just 15 years of age.
Smith made her competitive Liverpool debut over the weekend in their 1-1 draw against Leicester City, and has already shown flashes of her quality. Her pace and direct running caused problems for the Foxes’ backline before her substitution on 70 minutes.
If Matt Beard’s side are going to match, or even improve on, last season’s finish, they will need the likes of Smith to hit the ground running this term.
Japan international Aoba Fujino, also 20, is another exciting addition to the WSL this season. She joined 2023/24 runners-up Manchester City from Tokyo Verdy Beleza earlier in the summer.
The youngster already has the faith of manager Gareth Taylor as she started their UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier against Paris FC, as well as their opening league game away at Arsenal. She played roughly 74 minutes on both occasions before making way for Chloe Kelly.
Fujino is already a regular in Japan’s senior national team, and she has scored six goals in her 26 appearances so far. It will only be a matter of time before her goalscoring form translates to the domestic stage with her new club.
3. Wieke Kaptein
In the summer of 2023, Wieke Kaptein became the youngest player ever to be included in a Dutch World Cup squad at 17. She was still an FC Twente player at the time, but Chelsea swooped to sign her in September last year and she spent the 2023/24 season on loan with her former club.
This summer, she returned to pre-season with a point to prove. Speaking at a pre-season WSL media day earlier this month, new manager Bompastor praised the youngster and said she deserves to be a starter for the team.
While she was an unused substitute in their opening league game against Aston Villa, the manager’s excitement for the midfielder suggests it could be a very big season for the now 19-year-old.
Arsenal fans only got to see forward Rosa Kafaji In action for just 25 minutes against Manchester City in the 2-2 draw over the weekend, but they did see a very strong glimpse of what she will offer the team this season. The Sweden international may not have been on the scoresheet herself, but it was her run in behind and effort off the post that fell perfectly into the path of Beth Mead for the Gunner’s equaliser late on.
Kafaji was a standout performer for her former club, BK Hacken, and the 21-year-old is an exciting arrival in the WSL. Alongside fellow new arrival Mariona Caldentey, she will ensure Jonas Eidevall’s side won’t be short of goals this season.
It’s early days, but the forward suits the manager’s style of play, and is very much a long-term option in the squad.
Forward Kiko Seike announced herself to the WSL in quite remarkable fashion over the weekend. Prior to this season, the concern for Brighton was replacing Elisabeth Terland’s goals after she completed a move to Manchester United – but it appears they’ve found a gem.
At 28 years of age, Seike has only ever played in her homeland, Japan. She is a senior international for her country, but was still a relatively unknown player when she penned a deal with the Seagulls this summer.
Now, everyone will know her name after Saturday’s outstanding display against Everton. She has already written herself into the history books as she became the first player in WSL history to score a hat-trick on their debut in the competition.
