WSL done deals: Every January 2025 transfer

The January transfer window has officially opened and several Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs have already welcomed some fresh faces into their ranks.

Chelsea sat comfortably at the top of the league as the WSL entered the winter break at the end of last year, six points ahead of second-place Manchester City.

However, clubs have since begun taking advantage of a new opportunity to bolster their squads with the opening of the January transfer window, in an attempt to move further up the league standings.

With a squad spread thin due to injury struggles, Brian Sorensen’s Everton side have gotten business done early. City and Tottenham have also followed suit, whilst other clubs still weigh up their options.

90min takes a look at all the business that’s been done so far…

Chelsea have confirmed the permanent departure of defender Charlotte Wardlaw. The 21-year-old is a product of the London club’s academy and has spent the last couple of seasons on loan.

She spent the first half of the 2024/25 campaign in the Championship with Sheffield United, but has now completed a permanent move to Newcastle United. The Magpies are enjoying a strong maiden season in the second tier as they sit comfortably mid-table in seventh, but are just five points off top spot.

Tottenham Hotspur have signed Dutch goalkeeper Lize Kop from WSL rivals Leicester City. The 26-year-old moved to England from Ajax in the summer of 2023 but faced a difficult battle for the number one shirt against Janina Leitzig. 

She has now joined Spurs on a deal that runs until the summer of 2028. Kop is a senior Netherlands international and has 13 caps to her name to date.

Liverpool have been bolstered by the news that midfielder Marie Hobinger has signed a new contract with the club. The Austria international signed for the Reds from FC Zurich in 2023 and has made 39 appearances across all competitions so far.

In that time, she has scored seven goals and registered five assists. She is one of Matt Beard’s most integral players as she appeared in all 22 of Liverpool’s WSL games last season.

Everton have signed French striker Louna Ribadeira on loan from WSL rivals Chelsea for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign. The 20-year-old initially made the move to England last summer from Paris FC, where she spent the first half of the season on loan.

Ribadeira is now the Toffees’ fifth signing of the window following Kelly Gago, Martina Fernandez, Emma Watson and Hayley Ladd through the door. The young forward is an exciting prospect and made her senior debut for the French national team last May. 

Manchester United and Canada international Jayde Riviere has extended her stay at the club until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further year. She has so far made 32 appearances across all competitions since her arrival in 2023.

The 23-year-old was part of United’s FA Cup winning squad last season and she played 78 minutes of the 4-0 final victory over Tottenham. Riviere has become a regular starter under Marc Skinner and is their first choice right back.

Liverpool’s first arrival of the January transfer window was Scotland midfielder Sam Kerr, who joined on loan from Bayern Munich. The 25-year-old midfielder will spend the rest of the 2024/25 campaign with Matt Beard’s side and will wear the number 24 shirt.

Kerr previously represented Glasgow City and Rangers before she made the move to join Bayern in the summer of 2023. With a midfield already consisting of Georgia Stanway, Kerr struggled for game time in Germany and will hope to play a more prominent role with the Reds.

Arsenal academy starlet Madison Earl penned her first professional contract with the club this month. The 18-year-old midfielder initially spent the first half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Championship side Bristol City, but has now returned to North London to continue her development with the Gunners.

Manchester United have signed Southampton goalkeeper Kayla Rendell on a deal until June 2027, with the option of a further year. The 23-year-old is a product of the Saints academy and she amassed over 130 senior appearances for the south coast club.

United were in desperate need of reinforcement between the sticks after Mary Earps departed on a free transfer last summer. Phallon Tullis-Joyce has expertly claimed the number one spot, but will now face stiff competition from the England youth international. 

West Ham have extended the contract of 24-year-old Belgium international Amber Tysiak. The defender initially joined the Hammers back in January 2023 from Oud-Heverlee Leuven and has now committed her future until 2028.

She has already featured 33 times across all competitions for the London club and has become an integral figure under manager Rehanne Skinner.

Defender Anouk Denton has signed a contract extension with West Ham United until the summer of 2028.

The 21-year-old originally joined the club in 2021, initially on loan from Arsenal, before returning permanently in 2023 after a spell in America with Louisville Cardinals at the University of Louisville.

Denton has scored twice this season helping to solidify her spot in Rehanne Skinner’s side.

Manchester United have confirmed the one-year extension in Grace Clinton’s contract, extending her stay until 2026 at least.

The midfielder joined the club during the summer of 2022, and went on to develop her potential throughout two loan spells at Bristol City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Julia Bartel has departed Chelsea to join Liverpool on loan for the remainder of the 2025/25 campaign.

The 20-year-old midfielder joined the Blues from Barcelona last summer, penning a three-year deal.

After speculation, Everton have finally confirmed the arrival of Wales international Hayley Ladd from Manchester United.

The Merseyside club have had a busy month of transfers already, after onboarding Kelly Gago, Martina Fernandez and Emma Watson.

31-year-old Ladd joins Everton after spending the last five years at United, having previously played for Birmingham and Bristol City.

Chelsea’s forward Aimee Claypole has completed a loan move to Championship side Durham for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.

The 19-year-old has made three appearances for the Blues since making her debut during the 2022/23 campaign, and spent the first half of this current WSL season in Sweden on loan at Linkoping.

The Cityzens were faced with a piling list of injury woes as they crawled into the Christmas period, as captain Alex Greenwood underwent surgery on her knee. City haven’t skipped a beat in the search for providing backup for the loss of the star defender, signing Rebecca Knaak on the opening day of the transfer window.

Knaak joins the Cityzens from FC Rosengard, where she won the Swedish Damallsvenskan league title in the 2024 season. The talismanic centre-back is a wall in defence, but can also provide a real attacking threat. Knaak scored 12 goals for Rosengard in the 2024 season, despite playing at the heart of defence.

The 28-year-old will be an important addition to Gareth Taylor’s City side if they are to close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the WSL standings.

After struggling to get off the mark, Everton had a reform of momentum in the lead up to Christmas as they claimed a 2-1 win over Manchester City. Sorensen’s side have also made a strong account for themselves against some of the top sides, holding Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium earlier in the season.

Hanging on by their finger nails, Everton are desperate for some fresh blood after losing Aurora Galli and Inma Gabarro to ACL injuries at the start of the campaign. The Toffees have now welcomed French striker Kelly Gago from FC Nantes.

The 26-year-old joined on an undisclosed fee, and will be sure to add flair to Sorensen’s attack as the WSL enters the business-end of the season.

Everton have been further boosted by the addition of young Spanish star Martina Fernandez. The 20-year-old joins the Toffees on loan from Champions League holders FC Barcelona.

The central defender is well decorated on the international stage, winning back-to-back European Championships with the Under-19 Spanish team. The promising star comes with impressive versatility, able to play both centre-back and full-back.

Despite fans expressing their early concerns, Tottenham currently occupy a solid sixth-place standing on the WSL table. Robert Vilahamn’s side have displayed some positive signs in the early stages of the 2024/25 season, but are ultimately still feeling the loss of attacking partnership Grace Clinton and Celin Bizet, who departed the club for Manchester United last summer.

However, in an attempt to vill that void they’ve signed Danish attacker Olivia Holdt from Swedish side FC Rosengard. The 23-year-old has penned a deal that will see her in north-London until 2027.

Holdt was a prolific goalscorer during her two seasons at Rosengard, scoring 25 goals in 39 appearances for the club.

Arsenal announced that young academy star Laila Harbert penned her first professional deal with the club after turning 18 earlier in the month. Harbert is a bright prospect for the Gunners, having recently captained England at the Under-17s World Cup last October.

Hale End have birthed some brilliant talent for the Gunners, including England captain Leah Williamson, and 2023/24 Arsenal Player of the Season Lotte Wubben-Moy.

The exciting midfielder will hope to follow in the footsteps of the academy talent that came before her, as she puts pen to paper on a new deal.

Following 90min’s earlier prediction that Jess Simpson would be sent out on loan, Manchester United have now confirmed the 19-year-old has joined Championship side Bristol City for the remainder of the season.

Having returned from her ACL injury in the latter stages of 2024, Simpson will now be provided with a chance to prove herself as she returns to City. The defender will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of teammate Grace Clinton, who also spent time on loan at the Robins after signing with United in 2022.

Manchester United have confirmed the departure of another rising star, as 18-year-old Emma Watson leaves Carrington to join Everton on loan for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.

The Scottish midfielder made her return from an ACL injury in November, making her senior debut for the Red Devils in a 2-0 League Cup victory against Everton.

Blues fans will be relieved to find out that Guro Reiten has put pen to paper on a new deal in Cobham that will see her remain at the club until 2026.

The Norwegian left-forward has been integral to Chelsea’s league dominance since joining the club in 2019. Reiten has scored six goals in the 2024/25 season so far, and was named November Player of the Month.

Chelsea have been locking down their squad over the last week, as Aniek Nouwen also signed an extension. The 25-year-old has penned a new deal that will see her remain at the club until 2026.

The defender signed with the Blues in 2021, and has made just 21 appearances for the club. Nouwen spent time on loan with Serie A side AC Milan in the latter half of the 2022/23 season, before returning to Cobham in the summer.

Nouwen made just one appearance for the Blues during the 2023/24 season, before devastatingly rupturing her ACL while on international duty with the Under-23s Netherlands squad.

Chelsea have recalled forward Louna Ribadeira from her loan spell with Paris FC after signing with the Blues in the summer of 2024.

She penned a four-year deal with the WSL club, after spending three years with Paris FC. After being sent back to France on a loan spell for the 2024/25 season, Chelsea have now confirmed her return.

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