Lucy Bronze, Vivianne Miedema and 10 new signings to watch in the 2024-25 WSL season

One of the Lionesses' most well-known stars has returned to England this summer, with new Chelsea boss Bompastor identifying Bronze as a player who can help the Blues take further steps towards their goal of finally winning a Champions League title. The pair previously worked together at Lyon and won the French club's record-extending eighth European title by defeating Barcelona in Turin.

Bronze's arrival at Chelsea was something of a surprise given how well-stocked the squad is at right-back, but it appears that the England star will be a starter in this team. Her experience will be beneficial on the domestic front, too, especially in guiding the array of talented young players who look set for big roles in a Blues team chasing a sixth-successive WSL crown this year.

Those who have watched Mariona Caldentey over the last few years will recognise her as one of the most intelligent but underrated players in the women's game. There are always going to be some who fly under the radar in a squad as talented as Barcelona's, and that has certainly been the case for the versatile forward, who racked up 20 goals and 18 assists in all competitions to help the Catalans win an historic quadruple last season.

Having also played her part in a World Cup triumph for Spain, it does feel like Mariona is starting to get her flowers and the appreciation for her already at Arsenal is evident, with the fans debuting their new chant for the 28-year-old in a Champions League qualifier earlier this month. She is a world-class player who will entertain fans across the WSL this season and beyond.

Under Matt Beard, Liverpool have consistently done smart, shrewd transfer business, and so the fact they saw it fit to smash the club record for a transfer for the women's team this summer when bringing in Olivia Smith says a lot about how talented the Canada international is.

Capable of playing in the front line or as a playmaking midfielder, the 20-year-old scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in just 18 league games for Sporting CP last season, marking herself out as one of the most talented young players in the game. Now, she'll look to step up another level as she enters one of the best leagues in the world.

Elisabeth Terland didn't get anywhere near enough credit for her 2023-24 season. Brighton scored just 26 goals in 22 games and Terland netted 13 of them, responsible for exactly half of the entire team's goals despite receiving limited service in a side that finished fourth-from-bottom in the final standings.

This summer, her reward for those efforts was a move to Manchester United, where she should certainly get more chances given the creativity of the players around her. The 23-year-old will be operating in different circumstances - with more pressure, in a team that has more of the ball and likely with closer attention paid to her by defenders - but there's nothing to suggest she can't continue to find the back of the net.

Fans of the Australia women's national team have certainly grown frustrated in recent years at Raso's lack of regular game time. In the last three seasons, she's made just 20 league starts, including a year at Manchester City when she made just one. But after an up-and-down spell at Real Madrid, it feels like there is reason for optimism following her move to Tottenham.

A hard-working, electric forward who is a real asset on the counter, but also in any state of play, Raso should suit the creative, expressive style that Robert Vilahamn wants from his Spurs team and she'll certainly feel like she has a point to prove after playing just 302 minutes in her last season in England.

"I'm so excited for her," fellow Aussie Charli Grant said of her new club-mate last week. "She's an incredible player. I love watching her play and I love playing alongside her. She's definitely going to bring a lot of good energy to this team."

For the WSL fans who didn't witness her first career steps at Reading, it'll be a new experience to watch Kirby play in different club colours this season. After nine years at Chelsea, the England star has moved onto pastures new, joining a Brighton side who have made some exciting moves this summer.

There are so many bits of business from the club on the south coast to be intrigued by - be it the appointment of the highly-rated coach Dario Vidosic or the loan signing of Bruna Vilamala, the young Barcelona talent - but Kirby's arrival surely tops the list. The experience she will be able to add to a rather youthful group is one thing, while her game-changing abilities can help Vidosic get off to a good start.

Ajax had a thrilling run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, escaping from the 'Group of Death' ahead of Roma and Bayern Munich, and Chasity Grant was one of those who caught the eye as they did so. The 23-year-old scored against Bayern and then Chelsea in the knockout rounds, adding to her six goals and six assists in the league as Ajax ran Twente close in the title race.

Robert de Pauw, Aston Villa's new head coach, knows all about Grant's talent from his time working in his native Netherlands and he didn't hesitate in bringing her to England, noting that she "will suit the WSL with her style of play". It's a belief clearly shared within the Villa squad, with defender Anna Patten declaring last week: "I don't think anyone will want to defend her one-v-one." Watch out, WSL.

Surely the summer transfer that has generated the most hype is that which saw Miedema swap Arsenal for Manchester City. The Gunners came in for a lot of criticism when they let the WSL's all-time top-scorer go on a free at the end of last season, though Miedema has since explained that situation in more detail, noting that it felt like the right time to part ways. Furthermore, the Dutch star has spoken at length about how she feels like City is a perfect fit for the next step in her career.

How she fits into Gareth Taylor's side is particularly intriguing. Though a deadly No.9, Miedema also has creative talents that allow her to thrive as a No.10 and it appears that it'll be the latter position - behind last season's Golden Boot winner, Khadija Shaw - that she will play in the north west. The two goal-scoring sensations could form a devastating partnership as City pursue a first WSL title since 2016.

West Ham suffered a huge blow this summer when Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold left on a free transfer and joined the Portland Thorns in the NWSL. However, praise must be heaped on the club for the replacement that they sought out and signed, as Kinga Szemik was arguably the best shot-stopper in Europe last season.

A Poland international, the 27-year-old was outstanding as Reims secured an unlikely fourth-placed finish in France's top-flight, only beaten by eight-time European champions Lyon in the end of season play-offs. With her best years still well ahead of her, it's going to be interesting to see how Szemik adapts to the challenge of a new and quite different league, though few would bet against her doing so.

Leicester are another team that have had an eye-catching summer, headlined by the appointment of former Reims manager Amandine Miquel. The former Chelsea player won praise for her scouting and development of young talent with the French side, having spotted players like Melchie Durmonay, Naomi Feller and Phallon Tullis-Joyce in her time with the club, who now represent Lyon, Real Madrid and Manchester United, respectively.

Another talent Miquel brought into the French top-flight, this time from the second division, is Noemie Mouchon. The forward thrived on debut in the league, scoring nine times despite starting just 14 times, marking herself out as a transfer priority for the coach as she joined Leicester. The early signs are that she can continue that form in England, as the 21-year-old regularly caught the eye on the Foxes' pre-season tour of Australia.