As we pass the halfway mark of the Women’s Super Leaguewinter transfer window, there has already been some significant moves with some big names amongst big sides. Alongside some significant NWSL news from across the Atlantic and some staggering national team manager updates, women’s football fans across the globe are being shocked!
Dutch goalkeeper Lize Kop joins Tottenham Hotspur from Leicester City, she takes the number one shirt for the London club on a contract until 2028. Kop had been at Leicester since August 2023, making only 2 competitive appearances for the club this season. Spurs had been after a goalkeeper since summer, after Barbora Votikova left the club. During the summer transfer window Manchester United were reportedly interested in the Netherlands international keeper, however nothing ever came of it.
United continued their search for a second keeper into the January window, after Mary Earps’ departure in June left the club with 20-year-old Safia Middleton-Patel as their only backup to Phallon Tullis-Joyce who proved herself as a strong starter. On Saturday 11th, Kayla Rendell is announced to be joining Manchester United on a 2.5-year contract from Championship side Southampton, her childhood club since the age of nine. Rendell made her first team debut for the club in 2018 and has made 134 appearances and scored one goal since then!
A significant signing entered the WSL from Germany, as midfielder Sam Kerr joins Liverpool from Bayern Munich on a loan until the end of the season. The Scottish international has more than 30 caps for her country and more than 20 appearances in the Women’s Champion’s league, she will undoubtedly be a great addition to the Liverpool side.
In other news, American international Jaedyn Shaw joins NWSL side North Carolina Courage from San Diego Wave. The midfielders racked up over fifty appearances and thirteen goals for her previous club, she joins NCC just before the start of their preseason camps and is contracted until the end of the 2026 season.
Also, in the NWSL, footballing legend Marta and her club Orlando Pride have agreed to a two-year contract extension until the end of the 2026 season. The Brazilian forward turns 39 next month and only recently strung up her international boots after winning silver with her country in the Olympics, she scored 11 times for Orlando Pride in the 2024 season whilst captaining them to both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship titles.
Perhaps the most shocking news sees two ex-WSL managers make the leap into national team management. Former England captain Casey Stoney steps into the role of head coach of the Canada women’s national team after their previous coach, Bev Priestman, lost her job after the drone scandal at the 2024 Olympic games. Stoney joined the Lionesses coaching team under Phil Neville after retirement in 2018, before moving to Manchester United only four months later as the first manager of their reformed women’s team- she led the club to promotion into the WSL and into fourth place finishes for the two seasons after. Stoney joined NWSL side San Diego Wave in 2021 and was sacked in June 2024 after a difficult start to the season where the club held a seven game streak without winning.
Ex-Aston Villa manager Carla Ward has also been appointed as the head coach of the Republic of Ireland national team, replacing Eileen Gleeson whose contract was not renewed following the sides failure to qualify for the 2025 Euros in Switzerland. Ward has experience in the gold winning USWNT management team at the Paris Olympics, and will stay with the Irish side until the end of the 2027 World Cup campaign.
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