USWNT Stars Set to Influence WSL Season
Emily Fox is not interested in picking targets. She wants the lot.
Ahead of the new WSL campaign, the USWNT defender laid out Arsenal’s stance with no room for ambiguity. Domestic trophies, European glory — all of it is in play. If you want to be the best, you don’t cherry-pick silverware. You chase every piece of it.
Arsenal came agonisingly close last season. One league defeat, but six draws. Those dropped points opened the door for Manchester City and shut Arsenal out of the title race. The margins were brutal, and they know it. This year, every weekend carries the weight of that lesson.
The signs in preseason are encouraging. In their final warm-up, Arsenal tore through Charlton Athletic 5-1. Fox started on the bench, but once she came on at right back in the second half, she wasted no time. She surged forward, immediately testing Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse and reminding everyone why she is so highly regarded.
At 28, Fox is already one of the elite one-on-one defenders in the league. She locks down her side of the pitch, then tears up the flank with the same intensity. That blend of defensive steel and attacking drive earned her a place in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.
Arsenal expect more of the same. Fox expects more of herself. And the club has made it clear: one trophy will not be enough. The Gunners are coming for all of them.
Coffey’s Return Powers City and the USWNT
When Sam Coffey went down late in Manchester City’s title-winning season, the damage was felt most acutely thousands of miles away. The injury kept her out of the USWNT’s June camp and the two friendlies against Brazil in Brazil, a significant absence in a crucial year of international preparation.
Now she is edging back. Coffey logged 45 minutes in a preseason match against Barcelona, a key step in her recovery and a strong hint she will be ready for the WSL’s opening whistle.
Last season was her first in England, and it took a moment to adjust. Once she settled, though, she became a reliable presence, making 10 appearances after her January arrival and playing a meaningful part in City’s first WSL crown in a decade. She arrives at this new campaign with that experience now banked, no longer the newcomer but a proven contributor in a title-winning side.
For Coffey, the priorities are clear. Regain rhythm. Stack consistent minutes. Stay healthy. With USWNT World Cup qualifying looming this fall, every club performance doubles as an audition for a central role on the international stage.
Thompson the New Focal Point at Chelsea
Chelsea’s summer has been one of change, and amid that churn, one thing is certain: the Blues will lean heavily on Alyssa Thompson.
The winger wasted no time announcing herself after joining last season. She attacked defenders without hesitation, found clever pockets around the box and finished with a composure that belied her age. Across all competitions, she scored nine goals in 32 appearances, finishing as Chelsea’s second-highest scorer.
Seven of those goals came in the WSL, along with three assists. Those numbers, paired with her all-action performances, earned her a nomination for WSL Player of the Season and a place in the league’s Team of the Season. Chelsea needed an attacking spark; Thompson gave them one.
Her rise has continued with the USWNT. During a spell when wide options such as Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith (misnamed as Wilson in some reports) were away on maternity leave, Thompson climbed the depth chart and grabbed a starting role out wide. She has already produced four goals and four assists for the United States, turning opportunity into end product.
Now, with Chelsea reshaping and the WSL bracing for another tight title race, Thompson’s fearlessness on the flank is no longer a bonus. It is a necessity.
Girma’s Chance to Finally Anchor Chelsea’s Back Line
Naomi Girma has a rare gift: she makes defending look easy. She reads danger early, moves into position before attacks fully form and steps into passing lanes with impeccable timing. When she wins the ball, she doesn’t just clear it — she starts something. Her distribution is clean, precise, and constantly finds teammates’ feet.
Those qualities should be central to Chelsea’s plans this season. The club believes this can finally be Girma’s year.
So far, her Chelsea career has been stop-start. Injuries and limited minutes have stalled her progress, breaking any rhythm before it could truly build. Her quality has never been in doubt; her availability has. The result has been a defender constantly resetting rather than establishing herself as the automatic pick in central defence.
Even last season, Chelsea had to carefully manage the minutes of Girma and Millie Bright, with Veerle Buurman taking on a heavier load as a result. The potential of that back line has never been fully realised.
If Girma can string together a sustained run of matches, the ceiling for both player and club rises sharply. Chelsea want their WSL title back, and a fully fit, in-form Girma at the heart of their defence would go a long way toward that goal.
The implications stretch beyond club football. If she stays on the pitch and sharp, Girma should be a first-choice center back for the USWNT in October’s matches against Spain and into World Cup qualifying.
Tullis-Joyce, United and the Battle for the USWNT No. 1 Shirt
For Phallon Tullis-Joyce, this WSL season is not about a breakthrough. It is about consolidation and elevation.
The American goalkeeper started 21 league games for Manchester United last season and kept seven clean sheets. Across all competitions, she racked up 17 shutouts, a number that underlines just how central she has become to United’s defensive structure. She has built a reputation as one of the most dependable keepers in the league.
Yet the USWNT No. 1 spot is still not hers. Not definitively.
Her shot-stopping is proven; the question lies in her distribution. Emma Hayes wants a goalkeeper who can act as an extra outfield player, someone who can help the USWNT play out from the back and control possession. Tullis-Joyce has made strides there, but United’s more direct style does not always give her the platform to display that side of her game consistently.
This season, the pressure tightens. Janina Leitzig’s arrival from Leicester City brings genuine competition at club level. United now have depth and a real battle for the starting role as they try to close the gap on the WSL’s leading contenders. How Tullis-Joyce responds — with the ball at her feet as much as in her hands — could define both her club season and her international standing.
Yohannes Steps Into the Lyon Void
One of OL Lyonnes’ most experienced midfield anchors is gone. With Lindsey Horan Heaps moving to Denver Summit, Lyon have lost a player who could slow the game, stitch phases together and offer a calm, reliable presence between defence and attack.
Into that space steps a teenager. And she looks ready.
At 19, Lily Yohannes already plays with the poise of someone a decade older. She is technically sharp, sees the game early and keeps the ball moving even under heavy pressure. Last season, her first in Lyon, she scored six goals in all competitions, including two in the Champions League. She was named UEFA Women’s Champions League Revelation of the Season and looked especially effective alongside Heaps in midfield.
Now that the USWNT captain has departed, Yohannes may have to assert herself more. She has the passing range and vision to do it, but she will not be alone. Lyon’s midfield remains stacked with Melchie Dumornay, Korbin Albert, Damaris Egurrola and Ingrid Syrstad Engen, so Yohannes will not be asked to morph into a do-everything No. 8. She will, though, be expected to shape games, not just complement them.
Her trajectory is already pointing toward the global stage. Yohannes is firmly in contention for a spot on the USWNT’s 2027 Women’s World Cup roster. She looks like the kind of midfielder who can lift the collective level while preserving the team’s rhythm and style when she steps onto the pitch.
From London to Manchester, from Lyon to the United States, these seasons will not just decide club titles. They will quietly draw the blueprint for what the next version of the USWNT looks like — and who will be trusted to lead it when the stakes are highest.
